Michigan Science Center Partners With Comerica Bank To Provide Free Admission On Museum's First Birthday

DETROIT, Dec. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- First birthdays are always special and thanks to Comerica Bank, the public is receiving a special gift – free admission to the Michigan Science Center (Mi Sci) on Dec. 26, 2013, the museum's first birthday. To celebrate the Science Center's first year of success, fun birthday events, including a community cake, games and a gigantic card signing, will be part of Mi Sci's extended holiday hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The first 200 guests also will receive a free piggy bank, compliments of Comerica Bank.

Along with the many interactive activities the museum regularly offers, visitors can enjoy engaging Comerica-sponsored math games and experiments throughout the day, including pattern block and Unix cube art projects in Kids Town (for ages 5 and under), traveling magic numbers with graphing and measurement experiments in the museum's Centennial Laboratory.

"We are incredibly grateful to Comerica Bank for being our first birthday presenting sponsor, so we can invite everyone to celebrate this special day with us," said Dr. Tonya Matthews, president and CEO, Michigan Science Center. "Our ongoing success is possible because of community partners such as Comerica Bank, along with the families, schools and other guests who visited us or made our outreach science programs part of their activities during this all-important first year of operation."

In 2013, Mi Sci achieved many successes including serving more than 150,000 visitors and families, operating debt-free, re-energizing science education in metro Detroit and expanding science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach throughout Michigan and beyond. The museum has made great strides in upholding its mission to inspire children and their families to discover, explore and appreciate STEM in a creative, dynamic learning environment and plans to make an even greater impact in 2014 and years to come.

"We applaud the Science Center on its first birthday," said Janice Tessier, president of the Comerica Charitable Foundation. "Like all firsts, Dec. 26 will be a day to remember. We hope all families, but particularly those who otherwise might not be able to afford admission to the Science Center, will join us in discovering how much fun learning can be."

Holiday Hours
Mi Sci will be open with extended hours during the holidays.

• Dec. 23, 26, 27 and 30: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Jan. 1: Closed
• Jan. 2-3: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

About The Michigan Science Center
The Michigan Science Center is a hands-on museum that inspires children and their families to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The Science Center features five theaters, including Michigan's largest screen at the Chrysler IMAX® Dome Theatre; the Dassault Systemes Planetarium; the Toyota Engineering Theater; the DTE Energy Sparks Theater; the Chrysler Science Stage; a 9,800 square-foot Science Hall for traveling exhibits; hands-on exhibit galleries focusing on space, life and physical science; Kids Town just for pint-size scientists; and education and outreach programs.

For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website, http://www.michigansciencecenter.org.

About Comerica Bank
Comerica Bank, with 214 banking centers in Michigan, is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated. Founded in Detroit in 1849, Comerica continues to invest in Michigan. Comerica's $17 million renovation of its building at 411 W. Lafayette in Detroit was completed last year and the renamed Comerica Bank Center is now the bank's Michigan Market headquarters. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. To find us on Facebook, please visit www.facebook.com/ComericaCares. Follow us on Twitter at @ComericaCares.

SOURCE The Michigan Science Center