We have asked people to tour the archives and share their memories/impressions/observations of 54 Jefferson and write about those experiences. Those stories are collected here.

Featured

Geoffrey L. Gillis+

The Old Museum The shrunken head is no longer on display. He is buried under sensitivities and recognitions. Locked away...

Read More+
Featured

Mark Holzbach: Wonder Horse+

The Grand Rapids Public Museum archive includes a Wonderhorse exactly like the one my parents gave me in the early 1960’s while...

Read More+
Featured

Video: Dale Robertson Talks about ArtifactGR+

Dale Robertson, President & CEO of Grand Rapids Public Museum, shares his thoughts on the importance of the Artifact project...

Read More+
Featured

Wall Wasilewski: Detroit Jewel+

The Detroit Jewel captures an automotive guy’s heart Born and raised in Detroit in a very automotive-focused family, Wally is...

Read More+
Featured

Kim Buchholz: China+

There it was – same pattern, same color, same china! On a recent tour of the Community Archives & Research...

Read More+
Featured

William DeBruyn: Steelcase Metal Office Furniture Co. , Victor Waste Baskets+

I love wood – from a walk in the woods under tree canopies – to the furniture and architecture they...

Read More+
Featured

What is ArtifactGR?+

What if you could easily access artifacts of the past, learn from them, and allow them to influence the future?...

Read More+
Featured

Bill Hill: Rudell Pharmacy objects+

Items from Rudell Drugstore, in the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives You know how it is. Sometimes it’s a slant...

Read More+
Featured

Dalin Clark: Fossils+

Rock On I’ve loved rocks for as long as I can remember. They’re beautiful, fascinating and completely useful. For ages,...

Read More+
Featured

Video: Phil Wilson: Memories of the museum+

Local artist Phil Wilson sat down to share one of his favorite Museum Memories of the old  Grand Public Museum...

Read More+
Featured

New Images Search+

Many new images are being added daily to the online database. These are searchable and available to everyone, just enter...

Read More+
Featured

Thomas Consiglio: The Police Motorcycle+

“The Police Motorcycle” For over one-hundred-years Americans have obsessed over motorcycles. There is one name always associated with the powerful,...

Read More+

Grand Rapids Magazine article+

The latest issue issue of Grand Rapids magazine has an article about the project . Find them on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/grmag...

Read More+ 4 years ago

New Images Search+

Many new images are being added daily to the online database. These are searchable and available to everyone, just enter...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Eric Kuhn: 1913 Indian Motorcycle+

Motorcycles terrify me. Well, not motorcycles themselves, but its the idea of riding one out on the open road, surrounded...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Andrea Melvin: Blue Wedding Dress / Bridesmaid Dress+

Artifact: Blue Wedding dress / bridesmaid dress Accession Numbers: Blue wedding dress – to follow tomorrow Bridesmaid Dress, c.1957 #147100...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Amy and Steve Ruis: Table+

Artifact: Table 82.1.3. Author: Amy and Steve Ruis Remember setting the table as a child? A chore, right? Most of...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Bill Hill: Rudell Pharmacy objects+

Items from Rudell Drugstore, in the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives You know how it is. Sometimes it’s a slant...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Mayor George Heartwell: Birch Bark Canoe+

Come back with me. Way back. European settlers had discovered the New World but had only begun to push into...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Rickey Ainsworth: Lumen Martin Winter’s Fra Mauro+

During my time as an eight-year-old supernerd, I never felt more in my element than during my frequent visits to...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Pamela Patton: 1960’s Tablet Desk+

1960’s Tablet Desk Accession Number: 2009.2.5 Manufacturer: Irwin Seating I was thrilled and honored when Gayle DeBruyn asked me to...

Read More+ 5 years ago

Tommy Fitzgerald: Roder stove and oven+

Old Fashioned Pot Roast 1 5lb Chuck 1 Large Red onion, wedged into 8s 2 Cups chopped (into 1 inch...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Wall Wasilewski: Detroit Jewel+

The Detroit Jewel captures an automotive guy’s heart Born and raised in Detroit in a very automotive-focused family, Wally is...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Tom T. Simmons: A basket+

Way in the back of the third room in on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives,...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Janice Propst: Paragon Cutter+

In our current world of brutally hard-edged, utilitarian machine design this Paragon Cutter captures one’s aesthetic sense and reminds us...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Thank you Grand Rapids Public Museum and Staff!+

Our great thanks to the staff at the Public Museum Archive! Thank you Andrea Melvin, Alex Forist, Tim Priest and...

Read More+ 6 years ago

William DeBruyn: Steelcase Metal Office Furniture Co. , Victor Waste Baskets+

I love wood – from a walk in the woods under tree canopies – to the furniture and architecture they...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Evan Hunt: Are you the King of Pop?+

Are you the King of Pop? Hiya, ladies and gentlemen! King Kernel here with a “pop” quiz for ya. Let’s...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Sarah Nagy: Merchant Marine Uniform+

“The Merchant Marine has the largest ratio of casualties of any branch of the services….” stares back at me from...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Nancy Goodman: 54 Jefferson – The building+

A recent quick walk through the old public museum at 54 Jefferson Street was such an amazing and delightful tease....

Read More+ 6 years ago

Tommy Allen: Simplex Clock+

Give Pause. It has been many years since I was invited to the archives at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. ...

Read More+ 6 years ago

Collin Hunt: REO Speedwagon+

The band REO Speedwagon is one of my favorite bands, and I’ve always known it was named after a car....

Read More+ 6 years ago