Detroit Historical Society
@detroithistorical
Founded in 1921, we manage the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and a collection of 250,000+ incredible artifacts. >> detroithistorical.org
Please note that tonight's Concert of Colors performances at the Detroit Historical Museum are moving indoors due to the wildfire smoke! Join us for: 🖼️ A Tribute to Ismael Ahmed | 5:30–9 p.m. Featuring: 🎧 DJ Head 🎺 Joan Belgrave & Bill Meyer Group 🎶 Next Generation Funk Brothers
Tomorrow afternoon at the Detroit Historical Museum! Join us for Memoirs of a Martyred Earth, a multidisciplinary performance experience bringing together Arabic musicians, women poets of the Arab diaspora, Belgian soundscape compositions, and immersive visual projections.
On July 15, 1779, U.S. Army General Anthony Wayne led a bayonet charge up a well-fortified, elevated stronghold, defended by two companies of British grenadiers, solidifying his reputation for heroics on the battlefield.
On July 14, 1944, this half-folded Sanders menu detailed efforts on the home front on its front and back covers, including paper conservation, blood donations, sending candy through the mail, and its commitment to maintain quality in the face of rationing.
On July 9, 1951, a 50th birthday party for the Detroit Tigers, sponsored by the Detroit Times, was held at the Masonic Temple. Learn more about the team's long history: www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online...
Save the date this month! Celebrate 75 years of the Detroit Historical Museum and 65 years of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum: 🎉 Anniversary Block Party | Detroit Historical Museum Fri, 7/24 | 10 am - 8 pm | Free! 🛟 Anniversary Dock Party | Dossin Great Lakes Museum Sat, 7/25 | 10 am - 5 pm | Free!
Step into history with us this holiday weekend! The Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum will be OPEN today, 7/3 and Sunday, 7/5 with regular hours and CLOSED on Saturday, 7/4 🇺🇸 Plan your visit at: detroithistorical.org/visit
On July 2, 1949, the Maritime Museum of Detroit opened on Belle Isle aboard the landed wood schooner J. T. Wing, the final commercial sailing ship on the Great Lakes.
On June 30, 1940, this photograph was taken of a window display at Himelhoch's Department Store, featuring 4th of July women's attire. Signage in the front of the display reads, "WHITE FOR THE FOURTH, Dazzling white with gold -- with America's beloved red-white-and-blue accessories!"
🎨🌤🎉 Today is National Mural Day, and we're pleased to announce the artwork selected for our new paint-by-number style mural: "Currents in Color" by Brontae Williamson. Brontae is a multi-disciplinary designer with a product design degree from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
Friday, 6/26 | Bring a Friend Friday Members can bring a friend to visit one of our museums and their admission is on us! Saturday, 6/27 | Members Appreciation Day Enjoy a members-only screening of The Russian Five documentary and docent-led tours and activities at the Detroit Historical Museum.
Tonight! Wednesday, 6/24 | Member Night With an exclusive talk by curator Doris Lanzkron-Tamarazo on Blind Pigs and Bootleggers: Michigan Women During Prohibition at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
It's Members Appreciation Week! ✨ All week: visit the Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum to be entered in raffles and enjoy a special 30% off museum store member discount (*regular priced merchandise, in-store only).
Congratulations to our 2026 Hustle honorees! 🎉🎉 These 35 change-making Detroit entrepreneurs of color were selected out of hundreds of outstanding nominations to be featured in exhibitions and programs throughout the next two years. See the full honoree list at detroithistorical.org/hustle
On June 20, 1966, Vernors ginger ale celebrated its 100th anniversary with a public event featuring tours, refreshments, and family entertainment at its Woodward Avenue factory. This ticket from our collection allowed admittance of an adult and guests.
🌤️📲 Holiday hours! Please note a few upcoming museum closures this summer, including this Friday, 6/19 and Saturday, July 4. The Dossin Great Lakes Museum will be OPEN on Labor Day, Monday, 9/ 7, but the Detroit Historical Museum will be CLOSED.
On June 17, 1895, the first marine post office in the nation was chartered in Detroit. In 1948, postal operations were wholly assumed by the J.W. Westcott Co. and the J.W. Westcott became an official U.S. Postal Service mail boat.
Saturday, 6/13! Join us for an evening opening reception for The Amplification Project: Women Artists of the Arab Diaspora (Detroit), the newest exhibition in the Robert and Ann Bury Community Gallery at the Detroit Historical Museum.
Tomorrow night at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum! Join us for “The Archive” - the official launch event for Detroit 313 – our newest affinity group for emerging professionals who love Detroit history.
📣 Starting this weekend! We're offering drop-in tour opportunities at the Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum for an additional $5 starting at 11 am & 1 pm most Saturdays, continuing through the end of September! Visit detroithistorical.org/events for details.
On June 4, 1896, Henry Ford test drove the Quadricycle, his first gasoline-powered automobile, on the streets of Detroit. It's pictured along with Henry Ford's first workshop, a portrait of Ford and an aerial view of the Ford River Rouge Complex on this 1930s-era postcard.
🕰️ Tonight - we're OPEN LATE! Have you ever wondered what Detroit was like in the Revolutionary War era? As Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin worked to draft the Declaration of Independence, Detroit was already a well-established and influential settlement with deep colonial roots.
On May 28, 1860, David Mackenzie was born in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. He was an educator, principal of Detroit's Central High School, and founder of the College of the City of Detroit, which would become Wayne State University. Learn more: www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online...
Our Quad Anniversary lecture series kicks off this Thursday evening with a look at Detroit in 1776! Though far from the war’s major battlefields, Detroit was a critical strategic outpost whose story reveals the broader complexities of the Revolutionary era: www.detroithistorical.org/events/detro...
On May 22, 1973, a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Renaissance Center was held on Detroit's riverfront. Here, Rev. Richard Ingalls of Mariners' Church is pictured leading a prayer as part of the program. Learn more about the RenCen: www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online...
When the project is complete this summer, the new aluminum-framed, double-pane windows will improve energy efficiency, strengthen building security, and provide better environmental protection for the museum’s collections. Learn more on our blog! bit.ly/4dGufHd
🔨⚠️🧰 Please pardon our dust! We're in the midst of a major project to replace the 65-75 year-old original windows in the Detroit Historical Museum's 3rd floor office spaces, entrance areas, and main stairwell with modern, energy-efficient windows that will maintain the building's historic character.
On May 19, 1919, a large crowd was pictured gathered at Campus Martius to celebrate the return of the 32nd Infantry Division from World War I. Browse more of our collection items related to WWI at: bit.ly/3G5LqAV
Find it on the lower level, included with general admission. More details at: bit.ly/3SdmCxn
🤩🦸♀️🎬 It's Motor City Comic Con weekend! Visit the Detroit Historical Museum to learn about the local creatives and iconic characters that helped define the modern world of comics in our exhibition Heroes vs. Villains.