Menu
The second floor is entirely dedicated to exhibits and interactive experiences. It is themed like a tiny town. You can explore all the businesses in town for more intimate experiences. These rich pretend environments are great for the development of young minds.
Located just off the historic stairway are exhibits dedicated to creativity and curiosity.
Move the kid-sized semi-truck up and down on Gray lifts and check the systems to make sure the truck is working properly!
Explore the exhibits that feature the five simple machines, including a ball wall where you use simple machines to get your ball through the maze, and a builder’s area that features interesting building materials to explore and test your engineering skills.
Come build and create in our maker space! The space will feature new activities all the time. We hope to inspire U to explore and make! This space will have a staff person or volunteer to assist you if you need help.
Watch a local maker do their thing! We have a wonderful list of St. Joseph area artists, crafters, and other makers who will be sharing their work with visitors. The visiting maker space is all about showing children that making and creating is something that adults do too!
This space will feature special activities and classes. It can also be used to make the Creation Station even bigger! Check it out to see what we have featured.
Explore a hospital based on Mosaic Life Care. Take care of babies in the pediatrics corner, test you reflexes in neurology, look at cells in pathology and more! Children will love pretending to drive the Buchanan County ambulance and take care of patients in the back!
This exhibit is all about connecting with other people and learning about health care careers.
Children can put on the veterinarian’s jacket and care of animals in the clinic. There are several care stations that they can explore. Make sure to test the MRI!
This exhibit is all about connecting and caring for other creatures.
The pride of Tiny Town features an ADA accessible stage and puppet theater. Children can put on a show or run the lights and sound effects. Put on the costumes or pick your puppet for a rich pretend play experience.
This exhibit is all about creativity.
Located near the elevators, our friendly staff and volunteers are here to help you!
inspireU is a Sensory Inclusive Location. Quiet Rooms are located on the first, mezzanine, and second floors. Sensory Bags are available to borrow at the Welcome Center.
Proud Partner of
The Café, Grocery Store, Farm and Barn exhibits are all about nutrition, learning where our food comes from, and connecting as a family.
Children and adults can make pretend food in the café or through the take-out window.
Children will love shopping for food with their tiny shopping carts and baskets all while learning healthy choices with “all-the-time” foods and “once-in-a-while” foods.
The farm is a great place to learn where food comes from. There are plant beds for planting and picking fruits and vegetables, a barn for caring for farm animals, a tractor, and giant working grain elevator.
Shop for fresh food at the inspireU Farmer’s Market. Engage in a Missouri tradition of getting fresh fruits and vegetables right off the farm truck or from a farm stand.
Try your hand at reporting the news! Children will be able to choose the background for their green screen and share their knowledge about our hometown.
This exhibit is all about curiosity and learning about your community.
Explore all the jobs you can do in construction trades! Climb through the house under construction to get to the Altec truck bucket. Use the radio to talk to your fellow lineman down at the truck. Try your hand at welding, build something, design tile for your kitchen, and more.
This exhibit is all about connecting to your community.
Take a moment to explore what it’s like to be outdoors. Sing along to campfire karaoke, read a book together about the outdoors, climb through your tent into a quiet starlit night, and paddle your kayak down the river!
This exhibit is all about connection between children and the adults who care about them, as well as our connection to the natural world.
This show-stopping exhibit is based on the Missouri River: from its beginnings in Montana all the way to where it empties into the Mississippi. Play in a giant water table that includes many features of the Missouri River. Learn about the wildlife that lives along this amazing river that is such a big influence on St. Joseph and our state.
The table itself includes several interactive features that appeal to all ages. Build a boat and send it down the ramp into the river, use the lock/dam to change how the water flows, and more!
This exhibit is all about mindfulness and how to take care of our natural environment.
