Inspirational Walk through the Grand Rapids Art Museum

One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of our Grand Rapids vacation was our discovery of the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The museum is steps away from the downtown hotels, so very convenient for a visit on any trip to Grand Rapids.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum is best suited for families with older children. There are quite a few galleries and the atmosphere is quite calm and pensive. However, the museum does host a drop-in family art event on Saturdays from 1PM-4PM where families can engage in hands-on art!

We were intrigued by the range of art using different media and styles as well as the representation of artists from all over the world. Quite a few widely celebrated artists such as Warhol, Rodin, Remington, Lautrec and Renoir are represented.

Surprise! A Rodin!

The museum hosts several traveling exhibitions at a time so there is always something new to look at! One of the exhibits currently in residence is called Menagerie and includes artwork paying homage to the animal kingdom. This particular exhibition contains a vibrant collection of Warhol pieces.

GRAM also displays Michigan art and art from ArtPrize which is an open international art competition held in Grand Rapids. There are 1,551 entries in this year's ArtPrize to be held September 23-October 11. Grand Rapids is quite the place for the arts!

Remington

We found our visit to the GRAM to provide quite a peaceful interlude in our afternoon. Sometimes, museums can be overly stimulating and relaxation can be elusive. The collections at the GRAM are certainly visually engaging but in the way that you want to stop and enjoy. The collections are not crowded and the included pieces are diverse enough that everyone will find something to speak to them. With a ten-year-old, it is rare that we can enjoy a calm afternoon together exploring something new. We did this at the GRAM!

Things to know:

• Meijer free days on Tuesdays grants admission to guests for free. Thursday evening from 5PM-9PM are also free. The Meijer free days and evenings are available through 2016.
• The gift shop is sizable and has quite a few activity options--perfect if you need to pick up a few for the hotel! You do not need to tour the museum to visit the gift shop.

Follow along!

A special thank to Experience Grand Rapids for hosting our visit!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. Experience Grand Rapids did provide complimentary admissions for the purpose of accurate reviews.