Constructed on the west bank of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, construction of this iconic new museum included the coordination of 5 cranes and over 100 workmen during much of the project, which operated on a restricted site.

Construction features include a carousel pavilion extending out over the river which required sheet piling, gravel support base and a scaffolding system to temporarily support a weight of over 2.5 million pounds, and a computer-programmed temperature control system with humidity-sensitive sensors for irreplaceable exhibits.

The Van Andel Museum Center (Grand Rapids Public Museum) was awarded the 1994 Practice Division Award and Award of Excellence from the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers. It was also an award winner in the institutional Division of the Associated Builders and Contractors 1995 Construction Awards of Excellence competition.