Museum sights in Detroit
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Henry Ford Museum
Few could ignore the historical impact of one of earliest artifacts of the 20th century: the first ever Henry Ford automobile. The museum remains much as Ford originally planned and is - surprise! - a massive shrine to the automobile and its impact on America. The Wienermobile used in 1936 by Oscar Meyer hot dogs is a particular knockout.
Henry Ford and 11 associates opened the Ford Motor Company in 1903. They kicked off their tiny operation in a converted Detroit wagon shop and employed 10 people. Today, Ford is the second largest car and truck maker in the world, with a staff of 370,000.
Ford was born and raised in Dearborn, a small town not far from Detroit. In 1915, h…
reviewed
-
B
Motown Historical Museum
The Motown Historical Museum comprises a string of modest houses that became known as 'Hitsville USA' after Berry Gordy launched Motown Records here - and the careers of Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and Michael Jackson - with an $800 loan in 1959. Gordy and Motown split for the glitz of Los Angeles in 1972, but you can still step into humble Studio A and see where the famed names recorded their first hits. A tour takes about 90 minutes, and consists mostly of looking at old photos and listening to guides' stories.
reviewed
-
C
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is located in what was an abandoned, graffiti-slathered auto dealership. Heat lamps hang from the ceiling over peculiar exhibits that change every few months. An organic-oriented café with free wi-fi adds to the young scene.
reviewed
-
D
Wright Museum of African American History
The Wright Museum of African American History holds less than it would seem from the impressive exterior, though it's worth a look inside. The full-scale model of slaves chained up on a dark, creaking slave ship will leave you chilled.
reviewed
-
E
Detroit Institute of Arts
The cream of the crop is the Detroit Institute of Arts, which is lauded for its American collection.
reviewed
