ALDEN B. DOW MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & ART
1801 West Saint Andrews Road, Midland, MI 48640
Ticket Office: (989) 631-8250 or (800) 523-7649
Directions
HOURS:
Wednesday through Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
CLOSED MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, AND MAJOR HOLIDAYS
ADMISSION:
Regular Museum Admission* (includes Hall of Ideas):
Adults: $8 | Children 4-14: $5 | Children 3 and under: free
Museum and Friends of the Center members: free
ABD/FOC/ASTC reciprocal: free
Hall of Ideas ONLY:
All ages:
$3
Museum and Friends of the Center members: free
ABD/FOC/ASTC reciprocal: Free
*Select exhibits may require an additional fee for
both members and non-members.
About the Hall of Ideas
The Hall of Ideas is a permanent interactive exhibition
comprised of three levels of colorful and engaging exhibitry.
Alden Dow said, "Over all it is a source of ideas to stimulate
all ages to create and appreciate the facts and feelings of life."
It is a graphic story of the evolution of the ground on which
the Center stands. It traces the spiraling evolution of civilization
of this area. The themes unfold as follows...
Level 1:
Restless Earth, Groundworks, Glaciers,
Greening and a Life-size Mastodon
 |
The
"big blue marble" earth turning on its axis in the
blackness of space greets visitors. Michigan’s geological
formation and resources are presented using joystick activated
interactive programs, hands-on samples, computer interactive
exhibits and photomurals. Fossils of a Mastodon molar, giant
beaver skull and a trilobite help visitors visualize Michigan
thousands of years ago. A giant American Mastodon skeletal
replica dominates the first level of the Hall of Ideas. |
Level 2:
Trailblazers, Waterways, Lumberjacks,
Farmers, Miners and Chemists
 |
Visitors
are introduced to the early people who inhabited mid-Michigan,
including Native Americans, and how they created a life from
woodland resources. Forest smells, touchable artifact replicas,
a waterfall, and maps present the information. A "cast
from life" Native American figure plants corn in front
of a forest mural. Visitors can try their luck at handling
a log using a "peavey," sit in the cab of a combine
at harvest time, and enter a mineshaft to assist two "powder
monkeys" in setting off a blast. A larger-than-life periodic
table provides a hands-on consideration of the most commonly
used system for the classification of chemical elements. |
Level 3:
The Individual, Balance, Look, Listen,
Build, and Envision
 |
These
exhibits enhance the philosophy of Alden B. Dow. Mr. Dow,
architect of the Center for the Arts, believed that science
and art are inseparable; that feelings must be combined with
facts before anything new can be created. A Rainbow Dazzler
Arch, a 13-seat replica of the Frolic Theater, Nature’s
Gallery, and various displays showing how music is created
are all part of Level 3. |
Level 4:
The Panoramic and Ever-changing Art and
Science Galleries
And there's more to explore online...
Science Outreach
Programs | Membership Information
Visit the Midland
Section of the American Chemical Society site to learn more
about "Bringing Science to Life in the Classroom."
Also visit chemistry.org,
brought to you by the scientists of the American Chemical Society.
Support the Midland Center for the Arts by visiting www.shopformuseums.com,
a sales site designed to benefit museums. When you begin
your online shopping with shopformuseums.com, retailers will make
a donation to the Midland Center for the Arts on your behalf.
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