You've probably seen what life below stairs was like at Downtown Abbey. Now experience it at Cranbrook House when we examine the vital role "the help" played in running the estate a century ago. Guests will explore recent discoveries and rarely seen treasures that provide new stories of the house and those who lived there, during three tours starting Thursday, March 20. Tickets are $30 per person and include a boxed lunch. Space is limited and reservations are required call 248 645.3149 to register or click here.

The Institute's popular lecture series in partnership with The Nature Conservancy continues when Mary Fales presents Is More Better? on Thursday, March 20 at 6:30pm. Fales, director of Saginaw Bay Project, explains how science and academia are working together with farmers to protect our freshwater resources as agricultural production increases and intensifies. The lecture begins with a 6:30pm "Meet the Scientist" with cash bar, followed by a 7pm lecture and Q&A in the auditorium. Tickets are $10 for members for Cranbrook Institute of Science and The Nature Conservancy, and $12 for non-members. Register online or call 248 645.3210. The next lecture, Extreme Makeover: Nature Edition!, learn about the latest ecological techniques to restore, protect and preserve rare species and habitats in the Great Lakes Region and takes place on Thursday, April 24.

This year marks the 40-year anniversary of Music-Mushrooms-Manuscripts-a 1974 Cranbrook Art Museum exhibition and performance of the art and music of artist-composer John Cage. Coincidently, Cage's work is featured in our current exhibition My Brain Is in My Inkstand: Drawing as Thinking and Process. Join us on March 23 at 4 p.m. in deSalle Auditorium to celebrate Cage's continuing resonance at Cranbrook, the Museum has organized a local musician's live performance of the Cage composition "Sounds of Venice," as well as a lecture by Shelley Selim, our current Jeanne and Ralph Graham Collections Fellow. Selim will discuss Cage's current work on display as well as his 1974 visit to Cranbrook. Cage's "Mushroom Book" will also be on display in its entirety for one afternoon at the Museum. For more information or to register for the event, click here.

From centuries-old books to masterworks of modern architecture, Cranbrook works hard to preserve its unique treasures. The Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research will explore behind the scenes and learn how scholars and conservators protect and maintain Cranbrook's incredible collections in five lectures from April 10 through June 8 To explore topics and speakers, or for more information, click here. To register, contact Kim Larsen at 248-645-3319, or by email at [email protected].

Cranbrook Schools is hosting a spring 2014 Open House on Sunday, April 6 from 1 to 3 pm. The event is open to all families with children who are two years-old through those entering first grade. During the visit, you and your family will be able to meet some of our world-class teachers, get an up-close look at our facilities and speak with members of our admissions team. Please note that the open house will only be taking place at out Brookside campus. If you have questions, please call us at 248.645.3610.

During the school year, the Schools' Robotics Club fielded teams in a variety of robotics offerings including the VEX & VEX IQ Robotics Competition. These competitions, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, CHALLENGE participants to form teams and use powerful, engaging tools to explore exciting challenges that enhance their knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Every active VEX and VEX IQ Robotics team from Cranbrook's Lower, Middle, and Upper School programs qualified to compete in the VEX State Finals Tournaments, Cranbrook's active 8th through 12th grade teams competed at Michigan State University on March 2 and brought home eight of the top awards of the day, and of the twenty Michigan teams that qualified for a space at the World Championships, five spaces (25% of the total spaces allotted to Michigan) were secured by Cranbrook Robotics teams. Winning teams go on to Anaheim, Calif. for the World Championship Competition, April 23-26. Congratulations to all Cranbrook teams!