The Abrams Planetarium is located on the Michigan State University campus. This astronomy and space science education resource center is named after Talbert Abrams, a leader in aerial photography in the 1960s, and his wife Leota, who donated sizeable amounts to build this center.
Opened in 1963, the planetarium offers programs on astronomy for various age groups, with each lesson adapted to an individual grade level. Cost is minimal and an adult may come in free with every five students.
Potter Park Zoo is named after J.W. and Sarah Potter, who in 1915 donated 58 acres of land to the city of Lansing, and an additional 27 in 1917. Open all year except Christmas Day, the zoo has more than 500 animals of about 160 species. Many of these are endangered species, among them red pandas, Amur tigers, snow leopards, tamarin monkeys, Bali mynah birds and bongos.
The zoo organizes regular and special events as well as programs for children and adults. It has an occasional free day for Lansing residents, where neither admission nor parking is charged. On a reduced-rate-day, kids pay $1 instead of the regular $2 admission. A number of food and beverage locations are scattered around the zoo.
The Family Aquatic Center outdoor water facility features a 140-foot body water slide, a 190-foot tube water slide, drop slide, splash park, diving board, youth frog slide and some interactive, water-play structures.
Also available are a large deck for sunbathing, a wet/dry sand play area, zero-depth pool entry and an area for concessionaires. Open June to September each year, the pool has normal operating hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, with hours sometimes adjusted due to bad weather (as of 2010).
Entry rates are minimal for kids and toddlers are allowed in free. There are also group rates.
