“YAY!” is the onomatopoeia exclaimed every time the Lansing Capitol Building trip is announced in third grade each fall. Then, for weeks, the conversations buzz around the special third grade all-day Lansing adventure to visit the Capitol Building and the Michigan History Museum. Perhaps the kids are excited about this long distance bus trip for several years prior to departure. It’s definitely a third grade highlight!
The Capitol Building is a huge part of our Michigan history. Our government home was originally in Detroit, however, the current building has been in Lansing for more than 145 years! Suffering years of neglect, the beauty was returned with several stages of renovating over the past several decades. Most recently the beautiful addition of the Heritage Hall in 2020. This year’s trip was shortened a tiny bit because the beautiful dome was under restoration. The Rotunda was closed to the public.
The Michigan History Museum is a short walk away from the Capitol building. The exhibit timeline reaches far back to the Michigan Native Americans and shares our rich history and growth to modern time.
Visiting the Capitol and the Museum in the fall gives a great overview picture of our history for all the learning to come throughout third grade. Using the exhibits as a springboard for discussions during the remainder of the year facilitates easy connections.
Some of the favorite parts of the trip for the kids this year:
Riding the bus!
Seeing the Capitol chandeliers in person
Going into the Governor’s Ceremonial Office
Being in the Chambers
Seeing fossils in the floor
Seeing President Gerald Ford’s portrait
Riding the big wheeled bike
Holding a Wooly Mammoth tooth
Being in a mining cave
Sitting in antique school chairs
The ginormous elevator
Seeing how Michigan participated in the war
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