The 1928 Spillman Carousel is one of three all-wood carousels still in operation. And now, nearly a century later, it’s accessible to everyone.
“Just the experience of the inclusivity of the new carousel was a really cool experience.”
21-year-old Kyle Friar uses a wheelchair to get around. He says the Spillman Carousel enhancements, which include a chariot designed to allow individuals using mobility devices, are special.
“Yeah, I think just the history of this carousel being a part of the public museum for so long and just the history of Grand Rapids just draws people to downtown.”
The Cook Carousel Pavilion has been closed for the past two years, receiving upgrades. It now has a covered heated walkway, sound baffling systems for riders with noise sensitivities, and every wooden carousel animal has been refurbished; repainted by hand, says museum exhibits manager Stevie Hornyak.
“That started in 2020. We have about 57 figures and we’re down to only 14 left, so it takes about 300 hours to do an animal at a time. We had to get all of the old car paint off and go all the way down to bare wood, make the repairs, and then repaint them with water-based paint.”
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