Our Mission
We strive to facilitate learning through time spent in awe and wonder, and to inspire people to investigate the many facets of the world around them.
Memberships
From a quick visit to enjoy the cafe area and free wifi, to meandering through the gift shop, to a full day of interacting with the exhibits, there are many options available to satisfy different commitments and budgets.
Volunteering
Can you start a conversation with anyone? Do you like to take little ideas and guide ways to make them come true? Do you like to create and build? We would love it if you would help us aim high for our community!
What we’re about
COGnition is museum style center, full of interactive exhibits that offer hands-on learning opportunities, while being fun and interesting for kids of all ages. This is a place where families can come make memories, generations can connect over shared discoveries and experience, and our youth can see horizons of interest and possibility open before them. May the community be empowered, guests be enlightened, and minds of all ages be challenged and inspired! It may be a small start, but this is just the beginning!
Bringing Interactive Discovery and Innovative Inspiration to Northern Michigan
COGNiTiON Founders and Board

Kimmee Wenkel
Executive Director and Co-founder
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Laura Stanwick
Assistant Executive Director and Co-Founder

Kimberlee Wenkel
Executive Director and Co-founder

Laura Stanwick
Assistant Excutive Director and Co-Founder
Board of COGNiTiON

Julie Williams
Board President

Carrie Wilhelm
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Aaron Harris
Board Secretary
Three years ago I Immediately wanted to help grow this innovative Science & Discovery Center and began hauling my Virtual Reality and my development PC to COGNiTiON every weekend from Interlochen to let kids explore the amazing magic that is next-generation VR. Traversing the cosmos, designing spectacular art, and even learning to drive stick-shift or pilot a fighter jet, it’s something I still enjoy doing every weekend to this day at COGNiTiON. I love meeting the families, the parents, and really getting to know the great community that’s in the small town of Beulah and Benzie County — it’s no wonder I joined COGNiTiON as a board member as soon as I was given the opportunity two years ago! I’m excited to be a part of its steady growth and establishment as a community bedrock, and am proud of what Kim, Laura, and all of the volunteers and staff for COGNiTiON have accomplished already.

Casey Mckenzie
BOARD MEMBER

Rich Brauer
Board Member
After many years of making films for a wide variety of clients, Brauer received the Michigan Filmmaker of the Year award at the 2009 Traverse City Film Festival, presented by filmmaker Michael Moore. Past recipients have been actor Jeff Daniels, writer Kurt Luedtke, and actress Christine Lahti.
Brauer has directed 8 feature films and hundreds of corporate, non-profit, educational and commercial projects. He works as a Director/DP/ and enjoys supporting independent filmmakers. He always has films in development.
He co-founded the Maritime Heritage Alliance in 1982 and the Inland Seas Education Association in 1989.
He has three adult children and 5 grandkids and lives on an old fruit farm on Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, Michigan.
