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Historical Attractions in Southeast Michigan
Music, barns, art, cars, arcades and more! Here's the Metro Parent family guide to the best museums and other spots where kids and parents can get a taste of history.
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Detroit Historical Museum
- Address: 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit
- Phone: 313-833-1805
- Hours: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday and holidays.
- Admission: $6/adults, $4/ages 5-7 and students with ID, free/under 5
Nothing takes you back in time quicker than a visit to The Streets of Old Detroit –just one part of the 80,000 square feet of preserved history. If you've ever wondered about the intricacies of an assembly line, check out The Motor City. Watch for favorite annual kids events throughout the year, from Halloween to Black History Month to Easter.
Henry Ford Museum
- Address: 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn
- Phone: 313-982-6001
- Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Admission: $15/adults, $11/ages 5-12, free/under 5
Truly one of Michigan's jewels, this museum is a standout – from R. Buckminster Fuller's sole surviving Dymaxion House prototype to the limousine President John F. Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated in 1963 and a replica of the craft the Wright Brothers built. Features loads of demos and plenty of exhibits for the kids to interact with. Watch for cool temporary exhibits throughout the year.
Pine Grove Historical Museum
- Address: 405 Cesar Chavez Ave., Pontiac
- Phone: 248-338-6732
- Hours: Museum: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday or by appointment. Walk-in tours: Call to arrange.
- Admission: $5/adults, $3/ages 12 and under
Gov. Moses Wisner's former estate is now 4 1/2 acres of history prime for your family to explore. Check out a one-room schoolhouse, pioneer museum, smokehouse, root cellar and more. Events pop up throughout the year.
Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm
- Address: 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills
- Phone: 248-656-4663
- Hours: 1-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; other times by appointment
- Admission: $5/adults, $3/students in K-12, fees vary/events
Our Lively Town delves into the area's history in a 1927 dairy barn, complete with a model train traveling a small replica of downtown Rochester. There are plenty of archival photographs and, during normal open hours, visitors can take a guided tour through the 1940 Van Hoosen Farmhouse.
University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Address: 525 S. State St., Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-764-0395
- Hours: Building: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Galleries: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday and major holidays.
- Admission: Free, $5/suggested donation
More than 18,000 artworks are on display in this 150-year collection that spans cultures, media and eras. Look for the works of James McNeill Whistler, Pablo Picasso, Claude Money and Joshua Reynolds when you're here. Popular kids story times are known to pop up here, too!
Detroit Institute of Arts
- Address: 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit
- Phone: 313-833-7900
- Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday and major holidays.
- Admission: $8/adults, $4/ages 6-17, free/5 and under
This art collection is one of the top six in the United States and includes more than 100 galleries and the spectacular Detroit Industry fresco by Diego Rivera, Vincent Van Gogh's Self Portrait and the General Motors Center for African American Art. The DIA is open late every Friday night with live music, and on Family Sundays you'll find family performances, storytelling and art-making workshops.
