All Venues

MSU offers the following learning venues:

Abrams Planetarium

Abrams Planetarium

755 Science Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824

Abrams Planetarium is primarily an astronomy education venue. Our building has a lobby with exhibits about astronomy and a 141-seat theater with the Digistar 6 planetarium system. Our space can be used as an immersive theater and can support content in almost any subject. Programs offered include pre-recorded and fully live shows that can be customized for school groups. We also have other events and activities for people of all ages.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum

Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum

W Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI 48824

The W.J. Beal Botanical Garden is located just north of the Red Cedar River off West Circle Drive between the MSU Library and Intramural Sports Circle.  Within its five acres are living plant collections representing plant diversity, threatened and endangered plants of Michigan, and plants used in our daily lives. The entire MSU campus encompasses the Campus Arboretum.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Collections
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

640 S Shaw Ln, East Lansing, MI 48824

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) user facility. FRIB will enable scientists to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes—that is, short-lived nuclei not normally found on Earth. FRIB Outreach lets the public experience how that research is done.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
Michigan 4-H Children's Gardens

Michigan 4-H Children's Gardens

1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI 48824

An amazing space at MSU to "experience plants."  Our mission is to: promote an understanding of plants and the role they play in our daily lives; nurture the wonder in a child's imagination and curiosity; and provide a place of enrichment and delight for children of all ages. Visit our garden and experience our plants!

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Broad Art Museum

MSU Broad Art Museum

547 E Circle Dr., East Lansing, MI 48824

The MSU Broad Art Museum connects people with art through experiences that inspire curiosity and inquiry. With a focus on the art of our time—in dialogue with the historical—the museum encourages engagement with timely issues of local relevance and global significance. We are committed to amplifying perspectives and stories by underrepresented and oppressed communities through the arts and creating an inclusive environment for meaningful dialogue about equity and social justice.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Professional Development
  • Collections

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Bug House

MSU Bug House

288 Farm Ln, East Lansing, MI 48824

The Bug House consists of two small rooms, one with displays of insects and arthropods from around the world on the walls, as well as space for giving presentations to school classes, and a second room that holds cages of our live insects and arthropods for viewing, touching, and handling. We can accommodate school classes and other groups of up to 30 people by appointment. We also offer scheduled open house events for the general public which can accommodate approximately 50 people at a time.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows
  • Collections

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Libraries

MSU Libraries

366 W Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI 48824

In today's MSU Libraries, students have access to everything from medieval manuscripts to cutting-edge technology. We have new spaces, new technologies and new services, but our mission to support exploration and learning are the same as when we first welcomed students to MSU.

Types of activities:

  • On-site Tours
  • Collections

Audiences:

  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Museum & CoLab Studio

MSU Museum & CoLab Studio

409 W Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI 48824

As the science and culture museum at Michigan State University and Michigan's land-grant university museum, the MSU Museum is committed to understanding, interpreting, and respecting natural and cultural diversity through education, exhibitions, research, and the building and stewardship of collections that focus on Michigan and its relationship to the Great Lakes and the world beyond. The MSU Museum is a public steward for nearly a million objects and specimens in natural science, cultural, and historical collections from around the world. The collections provide the foundation for research, education, and outreach both locally and internationally. It is one of the earliest established museums in the nation and has continued to preserve collections and serve learners since its opening on the campus in 1857. It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and was the first museum in the state to receive Smithsonian Affiliate status.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows
  • Collections

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Science Festival

Every year in April, over the course of multiple days, the MSU Science Festival invites the public to experience more than 250 presentations and hands-on activities on the MSU campus and at venues across the state. There's something for everyone at the Science Festival, with presentations geared for all ages and interests. The mission of the MSU Science Festival is to celebrate the many ways science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (the STEAM disciplines) touch our everyday lives and shape our future. The 2020 Festival was virtual and the 2021 Festival will be as well.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center

MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center

28115 Meadowbrook Rd, Novi, MI 48377

MSU Tollgate provides non-formal learning for children and adults, offering the unique opportunity to explore agriculture, natural resources, gardening, and community food systems in an urban environment. Tollgate utilizes research-based methods and curriculum to connect participants to classroom learning through hands-on experiential place-based learning. Tollgate offers school and community programs as well as professional development for formal and nonformal educators. Currently, the farm is open to the public and hosting programs, camps, and events in the 160-acre historic farm setting.

Types of activities:

  • In person programs and tours 
  • Community events
  • Virtual and hybrid webinars and workshops
  • Professional development
  • Community supported apprenticeships

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • General Public
W.K. Kellogg Biological Station

W.K. Kellogg Biological Station

3700 E Gull Lake Dr, Hickory Corners, MI 49060

The W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) is Michigan State University’s largest off-campus education complex and one of North America’s premier inland field stations. Located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Michigan (about 65 miles from MSU’s main campus in East Lansing), the 3,873 acres (1,566 hectares) station includes W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, W.K. Kellogg Farm, KBS Academic and Research Facilities, W.K. Kellogg Conference Center and Manor House, and Lux Arbor Reserve. KBS is a premier site for field experimental research in aquatic and terrestrial ecology that takes advantage of the diverse managed and unmanaged ecosystems. The varied habitats of KBS include forests, old fields, streams, wetlands, lakes, and agricultural lands. The general public is welcome to engage with KBS through site visits, program participation, and volunteer opportunities.

Types of activities:

  • On-site Tours
  • Professional Development

Audiences:

  • College Students
  • General Public
W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

12685 East C. Ave., Augusta, MI 49012

The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is a unique wildlife center located in Southwest Michigan offering conservation-focused public programs, interpretive tours, and accessible trails that allow close views of captive and wild birds. Today, the Sanctuary serves an important role as a primary outreach arm of Michigan State University's W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Highlights of the Sanctuary include a paved, three-quarter-mile accessible trail to Wintergreen Lake to see hundreds of waterfowl in their natural habitat, including trumpeter swans, Canada geese, and a variety of duck species; birds of prey enclosures featuring bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, eastern screech and great horned owls; native plantings in restored prairies and gardens; a large picnic area; nature- and bird-related gifts, toys and other locally made and fair trade items at the Sanctuary's Resource Center; and many miles of trails through varied habitats.

Types of activities:

  • Virtual Tours
  • On-site Tours
  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public
W.K. Kellogg Manor House

W.K. Kellogg Manor House

3700 East Gull Lake Dr., Hickory Corners, MI 49060

W.K. Kellogg Manor House is the former estate of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg and his wife, Dr. Carrie Staines Kellogg. Built on the highest point overlooking Gull Lake in 1925-1926, the Manor, surrounding grounds, and building offer awe-inspiring views and historic grandeur. In 1952 the home and surrounding property were donated to Michigan State University and became the home base for the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The Manor House was restored to its original grandeur in 2000. The home is rich in history and can be visited for tours, programs, or private event rentals.

Types of activities:

  • On-site Tours

Audiences:

  • General Public
Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Wharton Center for Performing Arts

750 E Shaw Ln., East Lansing, MI 48824

The Wharton Center for Performing Arts engages the community through dynamic programming, education, and outreach. The Wharton Center is a prominent arts center for Broadway shows, theatre, and music. In the building on Shaw Street, the Cobb Great Hall seats 2,254 and the Pasant Theatre seats 600. The Wharton Center also holds performances in the Auditorium Building in the MSU Concert Auditorium, which seats 3,600, and in the Fairchild Theatre, which seats 600.

Through the Wharton Institute for Arts & Creativity, educational programs offer unique, valuable experiences for community youth, to more deeply engage with the arts and grow critical life skills. Special programming tied to captivating performances expands our humanity and infuses our lives with connection and meaning.

Types of activities:

  • Simulations/Labs/Hands-on
  • Shows

Audiences:

  • PreK
  • K-5
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College Students
  • General Public