Curious Kids' Museum · St. Joseph, Michigan

Little lakeshore.
Lasting love.

A little summer day on Lake Michigan, designed for children ages four and under—honoring the memory of Connor Neumann and his grandfather, Dr. Ken Edwards.

Explore Little Lakeshore A legacy of curiosity
Little Lakeshore exhibit rendering with a dune-inspired play area, lighthouse, hands-on activity stations, and overhead clouds.
A first look at Little Lakeshore. Design rendering by KidZibits; not a photograph of a completed exhibit.
A little world of discovery
Ages 4 & underDesigned for our youngest explorers
Inspired by Lake MichiganA familiar shore, a new adventure
Learning through playHands-on, sensory, open-ended discovery
Connor Neumann looking up at the camera in his colorful fleece.
Connor Neumann.

The love behind Little Lakeshore

Their memory.
A world of possibility.

Little Lakeshore is a special exhibit planned for Curious Kids' Museum in memory of Connor Neumann and his beloved grandfather, Dr. Ken Edwards.

It is a way to carry forward the curiosity and kindness they brought to our community—by creating a space where other children can explore, imagine, and find joy in the world around them.

A lasting tribute, built around the wonder of childhood.
Dr. Ken Edwards with his grandson, Connor Neumann, as pictured in the Little Lakeshore memorial flyer.
Dr. Ken Edwards and his grandson, Connor Neumann.
Connor's Cukes label featuring Connor's portrait, pickles, and the words Pickles with Purpose.
The Connor's Cukes label — Pickles with Purpose.

Connor's Cukes

Pickles with Purpose.

A familiar label, a meaningful connection. The Little Lakeshore exhibit plan includes a sign at The Sneaky Gull Cafe reading “We proudly serve Connor's Cukes!”—bringing Connor's Cukes into a little world of imaginative play.

See the vision

A peek inside
Little Lakeshore.

A summer day in St. Joseph, reimagined for the museum's youngest visitors and the people who care for them.

Little Lakeshore is planned as a place for babies and toddlers to explore at their own pace. The design brings the lakeshore indoors with connected water tables, a model of St. Joseph's North Pier Lighthouse with gently cascading water, and dune-inspired paths for crawling, balancing, and sliding. A protected, padded baby area gives the youngest visitors a place of their own.

Children will be able to build sandcastles with soft blocks, experiment with floating beach balls, and imagine serving snacks at The Sneaky Gull Cafe or treats from Moo's ice cream cart. One especially meaningful detail in the exhibit plan: a cafe sign reading “We proudly serve Connor's Cukes!”

These open-ended experiences are designed to nurture movement, sensory exploration, imagination, and problem-solving, while introducing early literacy and math concepts through play. Explore the drawings below and select one for a closer look.

Exhibit descriptions are based on the supplied Little Lakeshore Design Development Exhibit Plan; renderings are from the supplied KidZibits final-design drawing set. Planned features may evolve. These materials do not confirm current construction or opening status.

Be part of the story

Help their legacy
keep growing.

Help bring the vision of Little Lakeshore to life: a space for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers to share the joy of a day at the lake through hands-on play.

A donation in honor of Ken and Connor is a meaningful way to celebrate their memory and support the vision for Little Lakeshore at Curious Kids' Museum.

For current donation options and how to designate your gift for Little Lakeshore, contact Curious Kids' Museum.

Visit the museum website

Please contact the museum for current giving options and exhibit updates.

Connect with the museum

Curious Kids' MuseumLori Marciniak, Executive Director
Curious Kids' Museum & Curious Kids' Discovery Zone

415 Lake Blvd.
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-983-2543 curiouskidsmuseum.org ↗

KidZibits · Final design