Clapp Family Mastodon

05/20/2026

🗣️ CALL FOR INDIGENOUS ARTISTS!

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is seeking an Indigenous artist to design a logo for the Anishinaabek: The Original People of this Place Exhibit Grand Opening PowWow in October!

The newly redesigned exhibit celebrates the history, culture, and ongoing presence of the Anishinaabek people of Michigan.

The selected winning logo will be printed on t-shirts, print and digital flyers, and other event merchandise and promotional materials, and the artist will receive a cash prize of $250. Deadline for submission is June 15, 2026.

Read the full request for proposal at https://www.grpm.org/anishinaabek/

05/20/2026

The little things that go into the exhibits. 🙌 I love all of the "Behind the Scenes" sneaks that have been shared.

05/12/2026

Congratulations, Dale!

Dale was present on dig day in 2024 and he was among many getting their hands dirty. Thank you for all you do, Dale!

The GRPM is proud to share that our CEO and President, Dale Robertson, will be receiving the President's Award from the Michigan Museums Association (MMA) for his distinguished career and transformative impact at the Museum.

Congratulations, Dale, and thank you to the MMA for recognizing his role in growing the GRPM into the institution it is today with tireless dedication to our mission.

For over 60 years, the MMA has served as a catalyst for advancing Michigan’s museum community through shared learning, advocacy, and collaboration.

You can join us in celebrating and supporting the MMA by participating in their online silent auction. Bid on unique behind-the-scenes experiences at museums all over Michigan and support the organization that advocates for them at https://www.32auctions.com/MIMuseums

05/10/2026

Excited to go see what the museum has added to the second floor.

09/08/2025

Here's a small insight into what the morning of the mastodon finding (for us) was like. 🫶

09/06/2025

Coming soon...

🦣 👀 Who is excited for the BIG REVEAL next week? The Clapp Family Mastodon will make its debut on Thursday, September 11. West Michigan, come meet your new neighbor!

Learn more about the Clapp Family Mastodon at http://www.grpm.org/mastodon

08/30/2025

A Michigan farm family donates an unusually good mastodon skeleton to a museum, and the reward is immortality.

10/23/2024

For those still following along, it has been a little over 2 years since the uncovering and bones are finally dry 🙌

09/01/2023

It's the last weekend for the Snow & Ice exhibit. The Mastodon portion looks so great and we finally were able to make it down as a whole family. (Michael & the boys went down for the grand opening of the exhibit).

10/09/2022

The process to restore a West Michigan mastodon continues. FOX 17 connected with the Grand Rapids Public Museum which gave us an inside look at the process.