Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum- http://www.aahom.org/

Ages- 1 and up

Cost- Members: Free!
$11 for Adults and Children
$5 after 5pm on Thursdays only
Free for Babies 0-23 months

Location- 220 E. Ann St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Parking- There are several places to park around the museum.  It is a little tight during the school year.  Here is the parking map.

Other attractions nearby-U of M Museum of Natural History;  U of M Museum of Art; Downtown Ann Arbor Library; and Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market.

Places to eat nearby- Jerusalem Garden (Mediterranean), Washtenaw Dairy (ice cream), Zingerman’s Deli, Kerrytown Market and Shops (several shops/small food places), and Broken Egg (Breakfast).

Why to go there: This is my homebase museum.  We go there three or four times per year.  We get a family pass, so we can use it at reciprocal museums.  Starting from when Chloe was 1, we’ve been going there and working in other museums, attractions, and just the walk around downtown Ann Arbor.  There are several summer festivals to use like Sonic Lunch and  Top of the Park can combine to make a great day out with the kids.

In the museum itself, there is a set aside room, with cool water exhibits, a playhouse, and other sciency little one things to do.  Once they are 3, the whole place is their figurative oyster.  My kids always have enjoyed the ambulance, the funky lights room, and the blocks.  The bigger kid water exhibit and the bubble maker also universally are loved.  If you go on a Saturday, there will be volunteers with little experiments the kids can do. 

The place is easy to navigate and supervise.  The kids, when young, will run from exhibit to exhibit. 

For adults, the place is a former firehouse, and it has several old markings.  It is likely you will learn something about science.  For first timers, grab a map.  The place has many interesting nooks and crannies.

Be careful:  Food is scarce and really a long way off.  Parking is not convenient either. I recommend dropping the kids off and the better in shape parent running back to the museum.

Summary:  This was where my fun with museums started.  Though not really like a big city museum, it is charming and fun.  Good for a good 1 ½ hours of fun for any age.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Unguided Tour

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Tour- https://www.umich.edu/

Ages- 3 and up

Cost- Free

Location- 500 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA

Parking- There are several places to park around campus.  Most of them cost $2 to $3/hour.  Here is the info.

Other attractions nearby-U of M Museum of Natural History;  U of M Museum of Art; Jungle Java Ann Arbor; Downtown Ann Arbor Library; and Ann Arbor Hands On Museum.

Places to eat nearby- tons of options on campus, Dominick’s Pizza, Original Cottage Inn (Italian and Pizza), Raja Roni (Indian), Jerusalem Garden (Mediterranean), and Washtenaw Dairy (ice cream)

Why to go there: Look, when I tell people I’ve been taking my kids on college trips since they were 2, they look at me like I am some deranged individual.  Am I trying to push them into college?  Am I forcing them down the road I took?  I am pushy?  Overaggressive?

In fact, those reactions were so bothersome that I just stopped telling people.

The truth was when Chloe (7) was young, we had all summer, and I did not know what to do with her.  

What has free, big, interesting, and full of safe, wide open spaces?  Well, a university, of course.  Several friends also purchased her book about the University of Michigan (about football games and the school), so she had been introduced to the law quad and the diag pretty early.  She actually talks about the time when I had to change her diaper in the UGLI when we go down.

Now, it is an annual right of passage for my kids.  Here are parts of campus we try hit: Undergraduate Library, Law Quad, Law Library, Union (see where President Kennedy announced the Peace Corps), Diag, President’s House, Ross School of Business, the tunnel where kids kiss and get married, Angell Hall, and the Ross House dorm.

I’ve really enjoyed letting the kids run around that central area of campus, taking in the ivy, the trees, and the green grass.  I try to get them to eat some mind bending food afterwards.

So, no.  They don't all have to go to U of M to be successful in life.  But, yes, I do like them thinking college (like Tiger games and museums) is fun and a place where they could be comfortable.

Be careful:  Less energetic without students, but also less confusing.  Take snacks.  If your kids MIGHT need a stroller, bring one.  Map out your trip first (here is an interactive one).

Summary:  Great place to do a college visit.  Lots of other attractions.  Recommended for the summer or fall.