Midland Center for the Arts to Name Museum HALL OF IDEAS
Museum memberships are now available ahead of the renovated space's planned reopening.
Midland Center for the Arts announced it will honor Alden B. Dow's legacy and vision with the name of its reimagined museum: HALL OF IDEAS, a permanent, interactive museum experience designed to celebrate creativity, discovery and the belief that every person has the power to imagine, experiment and create. The name was created by Alden B. Dow for the original three tiers of interactive art and science displays in the museum when the building opened in 1971. The name will now encompass all levels of the newly renovated museum.
Long before Midland Center for the Arts opened its doors, the Midland community gathered in barn lofts, churches, school auditoriums, and riverbanks to make music, stage performances, create art and exchange ideas. When the Center was founded, architect Alden B. Dow envisioned more than a building. He imagined a place where art and science could come together to inspire curiosity and unlock human potential. Opening in Fall 2026, the Hall of Ideas honors that vision while creating new inspiration for future generations.
'The Hall of Ideas is rooted in a belief that has guided Midland Center for the Arts from the very beginning: creativity belongs to everyone,' said Dr. Matt Travis, President and CEO of Midland Center for the Arts. 'Alden B. Dow understood that when people are given the freedom to explore their ideas, talents and perspectives, extraordinary things can happen. The Hall of Ideas is more than a museum, it is an invitation for every visitor to discover the creative potential within themselves.'
That philosophy is woven throughout the museum experience. Inspired by Alden B. Dow's belief that creativity emerges at the intersection of facts and feelings, science and art, and individual expression and shared discovery, the Hall of Ideas invites guests to see creativity not as a talent reserved for a few, but as a way of thinking that belongs to everyone.
Throughout the Hall of Ideas, visitors will move through a series of curated exhibit experiences designed to connect creative thinking with the science, design and ingenuity that shape the world around us. Exhibits will invite guests to experiment with color and perception, explore movement and sound, investigate the properties of everyday materials, step into local stories of land and water, and discover the behind-the-scenes magic that brings live events to life.
'On behalf of our entire family, I am proud that Midland Center for the Arts is honoring my dad's legacy by naming the whole museum the Hall of Ideas. When conceptualizing the Center, he envisioned this interactive space where people are encouraged and inspired to play, to question and to see the beautiful intersection of art and science. The Hall of Ideas stimulates curiosity, discovery, and an awareness of each visitor's individual creativity.' Michael L. Dow, son of Alden and Vada Dow.
Alden B. Dow once said, 'Everyone has creative ability. When a person is awakened to that fact in himself; all kinds of creative things can happen.' The Hall of Ideas is designed to awaken that creativity in every visitor, creating opportunities for exploration, connection and lifelong learning.
Museum Memberships are now available for visitors who want to be among the first to experience the Hall of Ideas once it opens. Museum Memberships provide early access opportunities and year-round benefits for families, individuals and lifelong learners.
While an official reopening date for the Hall of Ideas has not yet been announced, the new museum experience is expected to open in Fall 2026. For more information about Museum Memberships, visit midlandcenter.org/memberships.
