When the
Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) initiated the renovation of its 1928 Spillman Carousel, accessibility was top of mind. For David Bulkowski, executive director of
Disability Advocates Kent County, this choice went beyond just a construction feature — it demonstrated that the museum genuinely aims to fulfill its inclusive mission.
“The Public Museum is top tier when it comes to our partners,” Bulkowski says. “They’re not an easy partner, because they demand excellence. Accessibility isn’t an afterthought, as it’s built into the design process from day one. That’s what leadership looks like.”
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Tommy Allen Disability Advocates of Kent County's executive director, David Bulkowski, believes that prioritizing accessibility fosters joy.
Bulkowski notes that prioritizing accessibility creates more than just ramps or signs — it fosters joy.
“My hope is that when wheelchair users come with their grandkids, the thought of accessibility disappears," says Bulkowski. "They’ll just be laughing, enjoying the ride, hanging out together. That’s the measure of success.”
The carousel as a symbol
The new accessible chariot adds symbolic significance. While carousels traditionally provided bench seating for those unable to climb onto the horses, the GRPM has enhanced this concept with a contemporary design addition that welcomes more to experience the thrill of the experience.
“It’s a visible statement of inclusion,” Bulkowski says. “People coming into this space feel ‘they were ready for me.’”
That readiness runs deep in the museum’s DNA. Dale Robertson, GRPM’s president and CEO, points back to the words of founding director Frank Demond, who envisioned a museum “as accessible as your neighborhood dime store and friendly as your next-door neighbor.”
Robertson also noted how Demond sparked community curiosity, like in the 1940s when he rode an elephant from the circus into the museum's State Street location to “meet” the mastodon. This playful yet purposeful act demonstrates that learning is most effective when it is fun, surprising, and accessible to everyone.
Accessibility beyond the ramp
For Robertson, accessibility goes beyond just physical ease.
“We define ‘all’ as being both physically and cognitively accessible to the broadest possible population,” he says.
This includes fresh features for the beloved carousel, such as sound-dampening baffles for sensory-friendly days, ride announcements in English and Spanish, ramps that exceed ADA standards, and collaboration with partners like Disability Advocates,
Hope Network’s Autism Center, and
GVSU’s occupational therapy program.
“It should just feel natural,” Robertson says. “If you can get things right for those on the edge of the spectrum, it improves the experience for everyone in the middle. That’s the power of universal design.”
Learning through joy
Stevie Hornyak, the exhibits manager at GRPM, views the carousel as both a teaching tool and an important experience.
“I believe everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy it,” she says. “It helps children develop compassion and empathy early on. We are all equal, and everyone deserves to share similar experiences.”
Hornyak explains that the carousel illustrates how play is linked to learning.
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Tommy AllenStevie Hornyak, exhibits manager at GRPM, views the carousel as a conduit for community-building.
“We bring students in for engineering camps and show them how the gears work, and then they get to ride," says Hornyak. "It’s fun, but it’s also science and art and history all wrapped together.”
This philosophy mirrors the museum’s ethos. By permitting students to handle artifacts – risking an occasional breaking of a mastodon tooth – and by balancing preservation with innovation, the GRPM embraces risks to make learning engaging, enjoyable, and community-oriented.
Community on the carousel
If museums are about gathering, then the carousel perfectly captures that essence.
“This probably sounds cheesy,” Hornyak says, “but people experience community when they ride. You pick your animal, maybe you sit next to someone you don’t know, but you share this joy together. That’s what carousels have always represented.”
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Tommy AllenThe GRPM's art department translates Stevie Hornyak's research to the "canvas."
Robertson concurs, highlighting the immigrant woodcarvers who crafted the carousel almost a hundred years ago – artists who, despite language differences, collaborated to produce enduring beauty. The current artisans repainting the horses in the museum’s fourth-floor studio reflect that same team spirit, as a new generation unites to achieve a common objective.
“It’s a reminder that when people gather in person, community rises,” Robertson adds. “Online, we too often see division. In the museum, in shared spaces like the carousel, we get something different: connection.”
A legacy of inclusion
From Frank Demond’s Saturday morning lectures that inspired neighborhood kids in the 1920s to the establishment of the Grand Rapids Public Schools' Museum School and ongoing community collaborations like those with Disability Advocates, the GRPM’s history reflects a commitment to increasing inclusivity – welcoming more people and fostering a space where curiosity can genuinely flourish, not merely survive.
“When you plan to accommodate, it often means you originally planned to exclude,” Bulkowski says. “But when you start with inclusion — when it’s natural, beautiful, and thought through from the beginning — people just experience joy.”
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Tommy AllenA new sneak peek at the new accessible chariot debuting late Fall 2025.
Robertson agrees with that sentiment.
“We are a learning institution, and that means we have to practice listening,” he says. “Our job is to be as public as the name says. That means fun, that means risk, that means making sure everyone sees themselves in this place.”
Be curious, together
The museum’s motto — “Be Curious” — gains new significance with the carousel’s return to operation in late fall. Here, curiosity is active and engaging. It encourages visitors to explore, engage, and share their moments of wonder with others.
Ultimately, accessibility goes beyond ramps and mobility devices. It means ensuring that whether a child holds a 10,000-year-old tooth or a grandparent visits with their grandchild, the story is shared. It’s about respecting the public in the Public Museum.
And, as Hornyak straightforwardly states: “Everybody should be able to enjoy the same things as everybody else.”
Photos provided by Tommy Allen
This story is part of the Bridge to Community Curiosity, underwritten by the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Through this partnership, we highlight GRPM’s mission to inspire curiosity, deepen understanding, and foster belonging by showcasing the transformative power of arts and education in West Michigan.