Detroit is a city rich with history, art, and culture, and that's expressed expertly throughout the local museums. You'll find a wide variety of topics covered in these local institutions that are sure to pique your curiosity no matter where your interests lie.
Many local museums are run as nonprofit institutions with either very small admission fees or none at all, so it's remarkably easy to fit them into your budget. This is true whether you're exploring science, history, or art in many cases. Take a look at some of the best museums in Detroit.
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Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
Explore the history of American invention
- Families
- History
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is a fascinating museum that shows off technologies and advancements created by American minds. At this museum, you'll be able to see exhibits showcasing the Wright brothers, architect Buckminster Fuller, and even Rosa Parks, who changed the notion of what equality truly means.
A lot of this museum is interactive, letting you experience some great innovations like planes and space shuttles. Because of this interactivity, families with younger kids can especially enjoy themselves. You can see it for yourself around Dearborn, a few miles west of city centre.
Location: 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124, USA
Open: Daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm
Phone: +1 313-982-6001
Map - 2
Detroit Institute of Arts
See one of America's most significant art collections
- History
The Detroit Institute of Arts is home to an immense collection of artworks with what is known as an encyclopedic collection that you can explore. This collection contains more than 65,000 works across 658,000 square feet of exhibit space that contains over 100 galleries.
An encyclopedic collection means it isn't restricted to one particular art movement, time period, or geographic location. Instead, you'll find a wide range of works, with some being thousands of years old, from ancient Egypt to others created by artists who are still alive. You can see it for yourself in the Cultural Centre just north of Midtown.
Location: 5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Open: Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday–Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm, Friday from 9 am to 9 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 313-833-7900
Map - 3
Motown Museum
Visit Hitsville U.S.A.
- History
The Motown Museum chronicles the history of Motown Records in the very house where the label got its start with the studio remarkably well-preserved. The museum is home to artefacts and memorabilia from the label's heyday when it attained mainstream success.
When you visit this museum, you'll be able to see the original studio setup in the house, known as Hitsville U.S.A., including the equipment that was used in the '50s and '60s. This museum is also home to a legendary Hammond B3 organ and an 1877 Steinway & Sons Model D grand piano. You'll find it in the Henry Ford district north of city centre.
Location: 2648 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48208, USA
Phone: +1 313-875-2264
Map - 4
Greenfield Village
Step back in time
- History
Greenfield Village is a living history museum designed to mimic what life was like in the area during the early 20th century with numerous attractions to visit within. Inside this museum, you'll find historic buildings in a village layout with some dating back to the 17th century. Costumed interpreters are found throughout, showcasing historical tasks and methods such as farming, cooking, and sewing.
Some of the most popular demonstrations here are the crafters who show off how people used to create pottery, tin, and glass. Additionally, you can visit Thomas Edison's laboratory and the home of the Wright brothers that was moved here from Dayton, Ohio, in 1937. Greenfield Village is located in Dearborn a few miles west of city centre.
Location: 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124, USA
Open: Daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm
Phone: +1 313-982-6001
Map - 5
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Visit an old, independent, and influential museum
- History
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is a fascinating museum that houses a wealth of artefacts related to African American culture. More than 35,000 artefacts are housed here, making it one of the largest collections of African American artefacts in the world.
When you visit, you'll be able to explore a variety of exhibits showcasing important events and people from African American history such as the Underground Railway, Malcolm X, and Aretha Franklin. You'll find it in the Cultural Centre around Midtown.
Location: 315 E Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Open: Wednesday and Friday–Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, Thursday from 9 am to 7 pm (closed Monday–Tuesday)
Phone: +1 313-494-5800
Mapphoto by Quick fix (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified
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Marvin’s Marvellous Mechanical Museum
See alluring machines in action
- Unusual
Marvin’s Marvellous Mechanical Museum is an unusual and interesting museum that houses a variety of oddities like animatronic dummies, mechanical games, and other machines. Most of the machines on display are still entirely functional, so you can see them in action yourself.
The collection is packed full of odd machines including the fortune teller machine that was so popular in local fairs and amusement parks decades ago. You'll also find darker machines like the dreaded electric chair from the Sing Sing prison and a strange food inspector with a function you'll have to see to believe. It's located in Farmington Hills a few miles northwest of city centre.
Location: 31005 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334, USA
Open: Hours may vary
Phone: +1 248-626-5020
Map - 7
Michigan Science Centre
Visit a place that inspires curious minds
- Families
The Michigan Science Centre is a science museum and Smithsonian affiliate that offers a wide variety of exhibits and interactive activities. More than 220 of these interactive activities are available alongside live shows and special pop-up demonstrations.
Given the interactivity of many of the exhibits and collections here, it's an ideal museum for families to visit. Additionally, you'll find an IMAX Dome theatre, a planetarium, and a 4D theatre. You can experience it for yourself in the Cultural Centre around northern Midtown.
Location: 5020 John R St, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Open: Wednesday–Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed Monday–Tuesday)
Phone: +1 313-577-8400
Mapphoto by Andrew Jameson (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
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Detroit Historical Museum
Dive into the history of the city
- History
The Detroit Historical Museum chronicles the history of the city going back to when it was founded centuries ago. You'll find artefacts from centuries past from Detroit's days as a hub for fur trading up through when it became an industrial powerhouse.
One of the more fascinating exhibits at this museum is the Streets of Old Detroit exhibit. While you'll have to use your imagination a bit to pretend the ceiling isn't there, the floor and surroundings can make you feel as if you're walking the historical streets with cobblestone roads, horse anchors, and retro shops. See it for yourself in upper Midtown.
Location: 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Open: Thursday–Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm (closed Monday–Wednesday)
Phone: +1 313-833-1805
Mapphoto by Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
See the birthplace of the Model T
- History
The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is a historic landmark and museum where you can explore the history of the auto industry where the Model T was developed. The building dates back to the early 20th century, constructed in 1904 as a production centre for the Ford Motor Company.
This former production plant was where the first Ford Model T was produced. This is the car that started the automotive industry in the country, and you can learn all about it through various exhibits and artefacts from the area. It's available on the street of the same name in Medbury Park.
Location: 461 Piquette Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Open: Thursday–Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed Monday–Wednesday)
Phone: +1 313-872-8759
Mapphoto by Jackdude101 (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
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Dossin Great Lakes Museum
Discover a maritime museum
- History
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is a maritime museum where you'll find a variety of exhibits showcasing the history of the city and region as it relates to the water. The museum is relatively small in size, measuring just 16,000 square feet, but that's more than enough space to show off its special-interest collection.
When you visit this museum, you'll find one of the largest collections of model ships in the world along with pieces of actual ships like the bow anchor of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a historic Great Lakes freighter. You can explore the entire collection yourself on Belle Isle in the river east of city centre.
Location: 100 The Strand, Detroit, MI 48207, USA
Open: Friday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed Monday–Thursday)
Phone: +1 313-821-2661
Map