No visit to the Detroit area would be complete without a visit to The Henry Ford, the largest indoor-outdoor museum complex in the United States. The museum began as Henry Ford’s personal collection of historic objects, particularly the Industrial Revolution.
Located in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, you should plan on spending most of the day here. The museum was named “One of the world’s coolest museums…” by the New York Times and it is huge– 250 acres huge. It is divided into three distinct areas, and you’ll want to make time to visit all of them. As a general tip, I would buy a combo ticket to save money on the admission to each area.
Because there is so much to see, for those of you just starting to plan your first trip to the Ford, here are five spots that make it to my list that I must see there. Hopefully, this will help you get an idea of the type of exhibits that the Ford has and assist you to plan your path through the complex.
- The Kennedy Limousine– the actual limousine that John F. Kennedy was assassinated in on November 22, 1963.
- Oscar Meyer Weinermobile– see the whimsical and iconic Oscar Meyer Weinermobile. Hot dogs are conveniently sold nearby!
- Rosa Parks Bus– step inside the bus that helped jump start the Civil Rights movement when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.
- Wright Brothers Shop– this is the bicycle shop where the Wright Brothers first experimented with flight!
- Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park Lab– a recreation of the laboratory where Edison designed many of his most famous inventions, including the light bulb.
BONUS: If you have the time, a unique experience at the museum is the Ford Factory Tour. You will tour an actual Ford factory and immerse yourself in the world of automobile manufacturing. This is about a 15 minute shuttle ride from the rest of the museum and takes about two hours to see all the exhibits. Buses leave every 20 minutes for the tour.
Stay: For a unique experience, stay at the brand new Shinola Hotel in Detroit’s historic Woodward shopping district.
Eat: Dinner and drinks at the Selden Standard for food from local farms, served small-plate style, local brews and craft cocktails.
What were your favorite exhibits at the Henry Ford? Share them in the comments below.
