Detroit Historical Society presents the new Detroit Historical Museum
The past presents itself in a brand new light when the doors reopen to the new Detroit Historical Museum at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 23, with free admission and non-stop, free programming through 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25. Raffles, refreshments and giveaways will fill the weekend with family-friendly fun.
The Detroit Historical Museum is emerging from six months of construction and the completion of its first major renovations since the 1960s. More than 70 percent of the museum’s exhibitions have been reimagined and will be unveiled the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Visitors are welcome to explore the brand new galleries and exhibits and experience the remarkable stories of the people, places and events that define Detroit.
Night owls are encouraged to take in a classic Detroit flick Friday and Saturday in the Booth Auditorium, while Buddy’s Pizza provides refreshments. Enjoy slices of GQ or Detroiter style pizzas, beginning at 10 p.m., while they last on Friday and Saturday nights. Movies include:
• 10 p.m. Detroit Rock City
• 12 a.m. Robocop
• 2:30 a.m. 8 Mile
• 5 a.m. Out of Sight
• 7:30 a.m. Grosse Pointe Blank
At 9 a.m. on Sunday, visitors can meet local television legend, Bill Bonds, as he casts his hands and signature in cement to joining a roster of notable stars of screen, stage, sports and more in the Legends Plaza. And sports fans won’t want to miss the Detroit Tiger’s own Paws, appearing at the museum from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 25.
Among the museum’s brand new exhibits:
• The Allesee Gallery of Culture highlights pop culture and sports artifacts of the last century.
• The Kid Rock Music Lab includes more than 100 years of Detroit music history and interactive exhibits.
• Detroit: “The Arsenal of Democracy” explores the ways Detroit shaped the outcome of World War II.
• The Gallery of Innovation highlights the city’s most celebrated inventors.
• Legends Plaza includes more than 25 Detroit celebrity handprints featured outdoors in the growing collection.
The Detroit Historical Museum’s most familiar galleries have received significant facelifts as well:
• Doorway to Freedom – Detroit and the Underground Railroad has expanded significantly into an experiential walk-through exhibit that allows visitors to explore the Anti-Slavery movement and its stories in Detroit.
• The Streets of Old Detroit welcome newcomers with both a Sanders Confectionary and the Grand Trunk Railway Station waiting room.
• America’s Motor City still houses the Clark Street Cadillac Plant body drop, but it also features an automotive showplace.
• Frontiers to Factories remains the museum’s core exhibit, which along with Glancy Trains, received interactive enhancements.
The Detroit Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization located in Midtown, the heart of Detroit’s cultural center. Founded in 1921, its mission is to educate and inspire our community and visitors by preserving and portraying our region’s shared history through dynamic exhibits and experiences. Today, the Society operates the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. In addition, the Society is responsible for the conservation and preservation of more than 250,000 artifacts that represent three centuries of our region’s rich history. Through its museum exhibits, school tour programs, community-based programs and history-themed outreach efforts, the society serves more than 100,000 people annually. For more information on the Detroit Historical Society, visit the website.
