THE GREAT LAKES Naval Memorial and Museum offers visitors the chance to tour two historic vessels and learn about the history and science behind World War II naval warfare. Exhibits offer the chance to learn about the difference between passive and active sonar, how periscopes work and how submarines dive and surface. Berthed near the Pere Marquette Park on Lake Michigan in Muskegon, the GLNMM also offers tours of the USS Silversides, the most decorated surviving submarine from World War II, and the USCGC McLane, a 1927 Coast Guard cutter. Groups can register for a private tour and overnight stay on one of the ships.

Call 231-755-1230 for details. Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum, 1346 Bluff, Muskegon, MI 49441. Hours and rates vary by group and season.

For more information, visit www.glnmm.org

THE ALDEN B. DOW
Museum of Science and Art in Midland is featuring Waterworks: Soak Up the Science! Visitors can make a rainbow, play "water pinball," pilot a model submarine and learn about water cycles and transformations through the adventures of "Walter the Water Molecule." Interactive exhibits show how to harness the power of water and describe the importance of water's role in everyday life.

Runs from Jan. 28 through May 31, 2010. Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, 1801 W. Saint Andrews Rd., Midland, MI 48640. Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Adults: $8, children (4-14): $5. Call 989-631-8250 or 800-523-7649. 

For more information, visit www.mcfta.org.

ANN ARBOR HANDS-ON
Museum is hosting Bob the Builder^TM — Project: Build It, the first-ever Bob the Builder traveling museum exhibit. Children can complete fix-it activities, experiment with tools in Bob the Builder's workshop, discover how to install sink parts in Bob's mobile home and learn about water conservation.

Runs through March 14, 2010. Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, 220 E. Ann St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Museum is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; open Tuesdays at 9 a.m. Adults and children (2 and up): $9; members: free. Call 734-995-5439.

For more information, visit www.aahom.org.  

IMPRESSION 5 IN Lansing is hosting Your Spitting Image, a traveling exhibit devoted to oral health. The exhibit not only promotes proper oral hygiene, but it also explores the fascinating world of forensic dentistry and the wonders of saliva. Visitors discover how forensic scientists make identifications by using dental records and DNA samples collected from toothbrushes. Hands-on displays reveal the remarkable properties of saliva. Visitors learn how much saliva humans produce each day, peer through
a magnifying glass at saliva molecules
and discover how saliva can be used as
a diagnostic tool. 

Runs through Aug. 2010. Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Dr., Lansing, MI 48933. Center is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Adults and children (5 and up): $5; children under 5: pay your age; seniors: $4.50. AAA members receive 10 percent discount. Call 517-485-8116, ext. 32.

For more information, visit www.impression5.org.