As museums nationwide are urged to evolve beyond mere passive repositories, the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is leading the charge in transformation, assuming its role as an educational hub and community partner. Dr. Stephanie Ogren, Vice President of Science & Education at GRPM, articulates the museum’s mission with a timeless phrase—inscribed on the dedication plaque of the former building and now integrated into every strategic aspect of the institution: “Knowledge to All.”
“I think we really have taken that message to heart,” Ogren says. “Whether that’s digital infrastructure, the lighting and colors we use on the walls, or the diverse content we’re sharing—it’s all about cognitive and physical accessibility. And that phrase has become the centerpiece of the museum.”
A city charter, a civic commitment
Unlike most cultural institutions, the Grand Rapids Public Museum isn’t simply just another nonprofit; its existence as an entity is rooted within the City of Grand Rapids’ charter.
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Traditional pathways and modern roadways intersect via digital creativity.
“There has to be a public museum within the city of Grand Rapids—we are it,” says Ogren on the mission outlined in the charter.
This foundation has transformed GRPM into a distinctive educational and civic resource, creating connections among the museum, the city, and, more recently, the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS). This collaboration is particularly evident in the GRPM School, which is a design-thinking, place-based middle and high school located within the museum.
“If you put those modalities together, you get the most amazing hands-on learning experience,” Ogren says. “Students have access to our archives, our artifacts, and our educators. It’s not just visiting history—it’s living inside it.”
From curiosity to capacity: Expanding learning beyond the classroom
At its core, GRPM’s educational mission is to meet learners where they are—whether they’re 9 years old or 90.
“Everyone who comes in [to the GRPM] is a learner,” Ogren says. “Whether it’s one’s grandma or one’s nephew, the museum is for them.”
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The GRPM offers numerous hands-on educational opportunities throughout the museum.
While many would be hard-pressed to say anything positive came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, our GRPM significantly expanded its “out-of-school” learning initiatives, which include camps, after-school programs, and field trips designed to spark curiosity and enrich classroom education.
“We at capacity,” says Ogren regarding classroom education. “But through our capital campaign and redesign, we’ll be able to double student access. That includes a new student gathering area so classrooms can be freed up for more programming.”
This out-of-school model is crucial for students in underserved districts who may not otherwise have access to lab equipment, guest speakers, or even the awe-inspiring mastodon skeleton at the heart of the museum, which will soon go on display.
Learning through play—and pixels
Technology significantly enhances GRPM’s educational accessibility efforts.
Teachers, homeschoolers, and community organizers can check out Discovery Kits, which include five to ten artifacts and a curriculum. This initiative enhances curiosity within our community and provides educational opportunities beyond traditional settings. Additionally, GRPM has ventured into the digital realm, engaging a new audience through their devices, which have evolved from basic cell phones to multifunctional tools.
“We always want artifacts to be front and center,” says Ogren, “but digital content helps people dig deeper.”
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True to their mission since the very start, today's GRPM still is advancing "Knowledge to All" opportunities.
Digital scavenger hunts, such as the Sturgeon Excursion, also invite young learners to explore the museum, answering questions and feeding their virtual fish using QR codes.
“It gamifies the museum,” Ogren says. “It tricks families into learning together.”
The museum’s digital collections, available as open-source, represent a subtle yet significant transformation in access.
“There was fear that if we put everything online, no one would come,” she says. “But the opposite happened. People get excited, and then they want to come see the real thing.”
Partnering for belonging
At GRPM, learning goes beyond just the curriculum. The museum views itself as a platform for storytelling driven by the community it represents. Ogren highlights public events such as the Cultural Heritage Festival and Neurodiversity Day, which exemplify how GRPM collaborates with partner organizations to share space and enhance visibility.
“These aren’t rentals,” she says on the GRPM’s unique approach to special events held within the museum. “Many of our events happen during open hours. So while MSU hosts a neurodiversity event, our general patrons are also exposed to content they might not have seen otherwise. It’s intentional. We want to expand narratives, not curate someone else’s story.”
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Students at the GRPS' Museum School, located within the GRPM, test pilot technology in a friendly setting.
That same spirit of partnership is also evident in GRPM’s collaboration with award-winning educator and East Kentwood High School teacher Matt Viesman. After attending a GRPM-led professional development session, Viesman began working with curators and educators to design inclusive history lessons.
“Matt later led a training for area teachers on how to teach diverse histories,” Ogren says. “It’s exactly the kind of peer-to-peer engagement we want to facilitate more often.”
Place matters
In many ways, what distinguishes GRPM from other institutions is its dedication to observing and elevating of place.
“We’re the museum of everything,” Ogren says. “But what ties it all together is place. Our exhibits—natural history, Indigenous stories, newcomer narratives—all these artifacts reflect West Michigan.”
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The GRPM is so much more than a passive repository of our area's culture.
Even temporary closures offer an opportunity to enhance the museum’s educational offerings. As the Anishinaabe exhibit is being redeveloped, GRPM has introduced a cutting-edge projection map that overlays treaties, tribal territories, and historical trail systems onto the existing WPA-era map, showcasing our contemporary infrastructure that ties back to the historical trails used by Michigan’s first peoples.
“It’s a beautiful way to light up hidden history,” says Ogren. “And it’s only the beginning—we envision adding ecological data, school visits, and more once this redesigned exhibit reopens in the fall of 2026.”
The power of primary sources
Ogren believes that one of the GRPM’s greatest assets is its ability to connect visitors to the truth through artifacts.
“In a world where truth is challenged, primary sources matter. You can’t look at something and not see the truth of it when it’s in front of you,” says Ogren.
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Dr. Stephanie Ogren, Vice President of Science & Education at GRPM.
This method is crucial not just for the school’s educational philosophy but also for how GRPM creates each exhibit.
“Education staff are involved from day one,” she says. “Every exhibition has a team that includes educators, curators, accountants—it’s holistic. We design with accessibility, relevance, and learner engagement in mind.”
Life is for living and learning
GRPM is dedicated to education for all age groups. Volunteers frequently take Discovery Kits to memory care centers, where historical artifacts can help rekindle fading memories. College students discover that museum-based research allows for easy engagement. Their extensive planetarium programming fuses scientific wonder with awe, creating mental space for curiosity to thrive.
“Don’t skip the planetarium,” Ogren says. “People think it’s just for kids, but our live sky shows are incredible—our presenters are deeply passionate.”
A legacy still unfolding
What motivates Ogren, a Grand Rapids native who returned home following her career as a research scientist, is the opportunity to teach others in her local community.
“There’s nature right here,” she says about the GRPM’s proximity to the main waterway that defines so much of Grand Rapids. “The Grand River, the insects, the birds—it’s all part of the learning environment. Doing watershed education in the urban core? That’s a powerful plus.”
What does she hope future generations will say about this moment in museum history?
“I hope they say we made it accessible. That we told everyone’s story,” she says. “That we lived up to the idea: Knowledge to All.”
Photos courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Museum
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.