GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The JW Marriot downtown was filled with hundreds of people on Thursday night, as the venue hosted the annual Jay and Betty Van Andel Legacy Awards Gala. The event is a major fundraiser for the Grand Rapids Public Museum. But this year's event was even more special as the museum celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Van Andel Museum Center.
"To think of 10 million visitors served over 30 years - what a vision, but what a gift, and what a privilege to be able to provide that to the community and to engage it in that way," said museum president Dale Robertson.
"I actually even think back even further to the very origins of the institution, and all the people that gave artifacts and specimens, and to those that were designing this museum. I don't know in their wildest dreams if they could have imagined it, but what does stick with me is that they went forward in the full faith that they were doing something for the larger good of the community that would resonate and be embraced. And boy, has it come true."
Right now, the museum is under construction, with big plans for the future.
"There will be river access like we've never had river access before. We do a lot of educational programs - history, science and culture, but people will be able to interact with the river at whatever level it's at. We'll have a new student assembly and entry space. We'll be able to double the number of students we serve annually from 45,000 to 80,000 and we'll have an entire redone north lawn that also will be very welcoming - an indoor/outdoor cafe, a pollinator garden. A lot of lessons will be shared throughout the entire complex," Robertson said.
"We've been asked by the city to do this, and we were glad to be that educational resource and interpretation center for all things concerning the river restoration, watersheds, water systems, and not just the science, but also the history and culture surrounding the river, the banks, and the entire city."
13 ON YOUR SIDE's Juliet Dragos had the honor of emceeing Thursday night's event. It's a fitting choice, because Juliet and her longtime co-anchor Lee Van Ameyde hosted an hour-long, live special when the museum center opened 30 years ago.
