Building Buddies!

The Building Buddies portraits a small community where everyone is busy making their homes a better place. Different characters, “buddies”, invite young children to play, explore, collaborate, create and learn while improving the “neighborhood”.
The goal of this exhibit is to provide a discovery environment that encourages the development of science and process skills at an early age. To achieve this, the exhibit offers hands-on open-ended activities that are fun and engaging for kids and their parents.
The immersive exhibition features hands-on role-play learning experiences that encourage kids to plan, renovate, decorate, paint, tile, build and more!

Be the Lighthouse Keeper and climb the wave steps to the top of this 25 foot high Tower. Imagine you are saving ships on Lake Michigan from crashing ashore during storms. Gaze out the ship’s window to Lake Michigan… Look down on all the water exhibits and visitors. Children age 4 must climb with an adult. Shoes must be worn at all times. Challenge yourself and climb to the roof!

Just like the real great lake outside the door; sail your handmade boat through the lake currents; use the wind jets to sail; raise & lower the water levels with locks and dams; navigate through a storm by the water mushroom and wonder about the Chicora mural-the shipwreck that has never been found. 10 hands-on activities.

Try out the Water Power in 15 fun activities. Hand pump water to fill the great tower like children in rural villages around the world; wonder about the water tornado; build-a-pipe to channel water like engineers; power your squirt gun at the targets; play with water conservation in your home; turn the great Archimedes Screw to power your boats; and much more.

New in 2021! A brand new (gated) space for ages 4 and under!

Toddle Beach brings back the nostalgia of long ago beach towns to Discovery Zone- just for toddlers!

Little ones will experience all the thrills of the Fun House, become the film in the movie house as they create shapes behind the backlight window of the Movie House, steer the boat onto shore and much more!

Wind power makes waves on the great lakes, and you can too by pumping up the waves to crash over the lighthouse. Watch carefully to observe just how a wave becomes so powerful.

Imagine not having clean water to drink and getting sick from the dirty, polluted water because that’s all you have to drink. The Bio-Sand Filter Program, created by Rotarians around the world, makes clean water and good health happen for thousands of families in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Africa, and South America. Meet Marisol who would not be alive today without the clean water provided by Bio-Sand Filters. Push the red button to watch nature’s sand and rock filters get rid of bad bacteria. Hear the story of 3 Rotary Clubs in SW Michigan who are saving kids.

Wall size giant art/science dance movement exhibit. Dance, wave, just move any way you wish and watch the bright colorful patterns mimic your motions. Engages all ages, you won’t leave it!

Hours of creative fun happen with this giant pin wall. Kids and adults make use of hands to create an unlimited amount of different scenes with over 60,000 red plastic pins and much laughter.

Can you whisper across 60 feet into your friend’s ear? Go into the Outdoor Science Gallery under the Green Roof and use Sound Waves to hear whispers clearly across the entire gallery. Partners and exhibit builders of Whisper Dishes—Renaissance Kids and Exquisite Homes, Inc.