An annual event returned to the Blue Bridge and Grand Rapids Public Museum tonight in honor of Autism Awareness Month.

Hope Network and the Grand Rapids Public Museum teamed up to host the complimentary sensory-friendly night for autistic children and their families.

The event includes free admission to the museum and the museum staff will adapt the sounds, lighting, and activities within their current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience.

“Typically, in the areas that have loud sounds, they turn them down, and in the areas that have bright lights they turn those down, and the areas that are really dark, they typically turn up the lights a little bit so it’s more neutral and it’s a little bit less overwhelming,” said Maggie Moore, executive director of Hope Network, Center for Autism.

Hope Network said its Bridge Walk for Autism is “more than an event for the autism community. It’s a rally for inclusiveness for community members, businesses and local leaders alike to come together for a hope-filled evening.”