Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains!

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The 2024 Festival of Trains is here!

Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains! The Northern Michigan Railroad Club, the Great Lakes Children’s Museum, and Creekside Community Church are pleased to announce the 2024 Festival of Trains.  The Festival starts December 21 and runs through December 31 at the Creekside Community Church (3686 W South Airport Rd, Traverse City, MI 49684).

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday, 1pm to 4 pm with special hours of 10 am to 4 pm on December 24 and December 31.  The Festival will be closed on December 25.

Admission is $6 per person for everyone 5 and up – 4 and under free! Or buy a $30 Festival Pass and bring your family of up to 5 free each day the festival is open.

Saturdays and Sundays the NMRRC will host their annual swap meet as part of the event. The swap meet is the perfect place to pick up a few odds and ends for that train set you’ve got stored away, or when it’s time to lay down the tracks with the next generation. If you’d like to sell at the swap meet, reserve a table ($20) by calling 218-7563.

The Festival of Trains takes place in the gymnasium at Creekside Community Church and fills it wall-to-wall with tables of trainsets. Modern and antique trains travel around the tracks, tended by Engineers from the Northern Michigan RailRoad Club (NMRRC). The engineers have set up interactive buttons so even the youngest engineers visiting the Festival can control a part of the action.

Volunteers are needed for all days.  Information on volunteering and an online sign up can also be found on our volunteering page.

All funds go to the Rail Road Club, Church, and Children’s Museum to fund their operations as 501c3 charities.

Don’t miss Santa’s Visit on the first day of the festival – December 21 from 1pm to 3pm! Join us for the 2024 Festival of Trains! This holiday season you’ve got a ticket to fun – all aboard the festival of trains! Choo! Choo!

 

 

A poster describes the Festival of Trains as running from December 21st to the 31st. Tickets are $6 per person. Hours are 10 to 6 Monday to Saturday, Sunday 1 to 4pm. Special Hours apply Christmas and New Years Eve.

Fall Family Dance

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GLCM is Temporarily Closed as we move to Curiosity Place!

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The Great Lakes Children’s Museum is temporarily closed as we move to the Grand Traverse Mall.

It’s official – the Great Lakes Children’s Museum is on the move! With the current building that houses the Great Lakes Children’s Museum scheduled for demolition, their new site has been announced! The Great Lakes Children’s Museum is thrilled to announce an exciting new chapter: the opening of The Curiosity Place powered by GLCM will be located at the Grand Traverse Mall.

This move marks a significant step forward for the museum. The Curiosity Place will have expanded gallery space, as well as doubled program spaces. GLCM will bring their classic and well-loved exhibits to the new space while introducing fresh attractions and activities. Their new Power of Play boutique toy store will be open and ready for holiday shopping as well. The new location will be ready to welcome visitors this fall.

Click here for updates and information! 

Join us at the 2024 A-ha! Dueling Pianos on Saturday, October 12

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The Great Lakes Children’s Museum invites you to our annual A-ha! Fundraiser on October 12th, 2024.

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Join us at the 2024 A-ha! Dueling Pianos on Saturday, October 12. This year, the event will take place at the picturesque Hagerty Center, offering first-class views and a delectable menu.

The highlight of the evening will be a performance by Piano Wars!, a renowned dueling pianos entertainment company from Detroit. Known for their comic timing and audience engagement, Piano Wars! promises an evening filled with laughter, camaraderie, and delightful entertainment. In addition to the lively performance, the event will feature a silent auction with an array of exciting items up for bid.

The Great Lakes Children’s Museum is dedicated to promoting lifelong learning through play-based exploration. Our unique and interactive exhibits, specific to Northern Michigan, alongside our diverse arts and science programming, foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and cross-disciplinary skills in visitors of all ages. As the only year-round facility in Northwest Michigan offering high-quality, applied learning experiences, we are an essential community resource that cultivates curiosity and a love for learning.

Your Support is Crucial

We are facing an urgent challenge: the Museum is currently relocating as our current building is scheduled for demolition. This leads to our exciting new chapter: the opening of The Curiosity Place powered by GLCM at the Grand Traverse Mall. This move marks a significant step forward for the museum as it transitions from its longtime Discovery Center location to a vibrant, expansive space where imagination and discovery take center stage.

Your sponsorship and participation in the A-ha! Fundraiser are vital to ensuring the Museum’s continued presence and impact in the community. By supporting the Great Lakes Children’s Museum, you are contributing to the enrichment of our region’s quality of life and making it a more attractive destination for visitors.

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Kids Free Fishing Day- June 15, 2024

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Now you can receive discounts at children’s museums nationwide with your GLCM Membership

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