Your Town
Step into "Your Town," an interactive exhibit designed to spark imagination and play! This immersive space allows children to explore the many facets of their community, from a bustling grocery store to a water treatment plant, and everything between! Kids can role-play as everything from shopkeepers to public safety officers, using hands-on activities and free-play to learn about teamwork, responsibility, and civic engagement. It’s “Your Town” - what will you do with it?
Welcome Area |
Start your visit at our Welcome Area! Explore our gift shop area, take in the beautiful murals & front desk and stow away your belongings at the coat rack. Need a break during your visit? Feel free to enjoy a snack at our “Eat Seats”, perfect for refueling between exhibits.
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Lil’ Felpausch
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Find something fresh at Lil’ Felpausch. Our bustling grocery store features colorful displays of fresh produce, playful aisles of products, and two busy checkout counters, all designed for little hands. Young shoppers can fill their carts with pretend fruits, vegetables, and snacks, learning about healthy choices and money management along the way. Children take on the roles of shoppers, stockers, and cashiers - fostering creativity, social skills, and an understanding of everyday life.
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The Bryan J Barber Play Theater |
The show is on at the Bryan J. Barber Play Theater. Funded with love by Willie and Gwen Tabb, their family, and friends, the area includes a wheelchair accessible stage, dressing room, and dimmable LED lighting around the stage and mirror. There’s work in the wings, too - areas for kids to manipulate curtains and ropes, and a space for aspiring playwrights to create the next big show!
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Your Town Fire Department |
Grab your gear and head into Your Town Fire Department, complete with ladder, pole and fire truck! Take on the role of a firefighter, truck driver, or EMT as you learn what it takes to keep your community safe, and how to bring fire safety home to your family!
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Your Town Credit Union presented by MCCU |
Make a withdrawal from Your Town Credit Union! Our credit union aims to start conversations between parents and children about what money looks like, and where it comes from. Become a teller, investor, or credit union member as you spend, save, and explore at Your Town Credit Union!
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Your Town Water Works |
Control the flow at Your Town Water Works! Modeled after a water treatment facility, explore how water moves through our community at this interactive water table. Children will be able to alter water flow speed, direction, turbulence and height, as they role play becoming engineers, operators, and technicians! Whether it is racing ducks, or learning about water systems in our communities, there is something for everyone at the Your Town Water Works!
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Fur-Ever Rescue Animal Shelter |
Find a furry friend at the Fur-ever Rescue Shelter! Take on the role of vet or trainer to learn how we care for pets - or, adopt an animal from the shelter and show it around Your Town! From feeding and grooming to playing and training, children will engage in hands-on activities that promote empathy and responsibility towards pets in need.
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Block Mountain:
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Some of the world’s greatest engineers are covered in fur! Explore the world of animals who build in Block Mountain: Animal Engineers! Work together to build a beaver lodge, a fox den, a bird’s nest, and more, all while exploring real specimens, on loan from Albion College’s Whitehouse Nature Center.
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Healthy Home and the Oaklawn Play Kitchen |
From safe sleep to hand washing, this bright and engaging exhibit from Oaklawn will help you on the way to a healthier family! Create a rainbow with your food and check your hand washing technique with the GlowBug Germ Detector! Don't forget to check how much you've grown each visit by measuring up to our zoo animals!
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