playing: may 23 to september 4, 2025

Alma's Way: Welcome to My Neighborhood

The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is proud to announce Alma’s Way: Welcome to My Neighborhood!, an immersive exhibit developed and fabricated by The Magic House in collaboration with Fred Rogers Productions and PBS Kids. The exhibit is based on Alma’s Way, the popular animated series on PBS KIDS®. The series follows the neighborhood adventures of 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her family and a diverse group of friends and neighbors.

The series was created by actor and writer, Sonia Manzano, who positively impacted the lives of generations of children as “Maria” on Sesame Street. Sonia created Alma’s Way by drawing inspiration from her own childhood in the Bronx. In every episode, Alma models life lessons while encouraging kids to develop critical thinking skills and value their own ideas and questions.

The familiar environments from the show come to life as visitors are transported to Alma’s vibrant neighborhood in the Bronx to explore:

Alma’s Family Duplex: Step inside Alma’s welcoming Family Duplex, where generations come together to share traditions. Learn to make mofongo, a Puerto Rican dish, or immerse yourself in the sounds of Puerto Rican music by playing instruments like maracas. Outside, play hopscotch on the sidewalk or have a barbecue in the backyard.

Bodega: Explore a Bronx Bodega, a small neighborhood store that is full of a variety of items like food, drinks, snacks, household items, and souvenirs. Contribute to a collaborative community mural, adding a creative touch to the vibrant streetscape.

Community Center: Discover the rich heritage of Puerto Rican culture at the Community Center, where you can participate in Bomba dance lessons and learn to play the Bomba drums.

Pet Clinic: Become a veterinarian like Alma’s papi, Dr. Rivera, and perform check-ups while learning about fascinating creatures like parrots, lizards, and frogs, then create your own video inspired by Dr. Rivera’s internet animal show.

6 Train: Take a subway ride aboard the 6 train, play The Alma Train game, and be a conductor like Alma’s Tía Gloria.

Park: Go on a quest to find coquÍs (tiny frogs) native to Puerto Rico. Enjoy a game of checkers, climb on rock formations, or decorate a cardboard clubhouse.