Kids and adults alike love the Michigan Science Center. The interactive exhibits are fun and will teach you about space, engineering, health and more. The IMAX Dome Theatre is a highlight of the museum, showing a wide variety of educational and entertaining films. Make sure you see an amazing laser display and star show at their Dassault Systèmes Planetarium.Â
Ford's iconic Model T set a benchmark for automobiles at the time, and at the Piquette Avenue Plant, visitors get an insight into the fascinating history of car as well as its makers. Built in 1904, Piquette Avenue Plant was the company's second production plant. While numerous other vehicles including models F, N and R were also assembled here, it remains most popular for being the birthplace of the Model T. At the museum, visitors get to know how the car came into being, right from the concept stage. There's beautiful exhibits of vintage car models as well as engines of the time. Private tours are available.
On Belle Isle, two cannons from the Battle of Lake Erie mark the entrance to this marine branch of the Detroit Historical Museums. A visit affords a fascinating short course in Detroit's maritime history. Ship models on display range from 19th-century sailing vessels to modern hydroplane racing boats. You can also see yachts owned by automobile magnates from the 1920s and 1930s.
Located in Dearborn, the Henry Ford Museum showcases the fascinating history of American innovation. You'll find a 1909 Ford Model T on display, as well as the bus that Rosa Parks made a stand on in 1955. See a kitchen from the 1930s, a locomotive, and other interesting historic memorabilia. The range of items in the museum is wide, featuring interesting pieces relating to manufacturing, transportation, entertainment, and technology.
The Hall of Fame is the automobile industry's own monument to its pioneers, innovators and captains. It was located in Midland, Michigan, until this 25,000-square-foot building was built adjacent to Greenfield Village in 1997. A 65-foot-long, 12-foot-high mural by artist and former car designer John Gable illustrates the history of the motor vehicle. Interactive exhibits and historical information abound throughout the Hall, with biographies of the more than 150 inductees. A package admission can be purchased to include the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
Well-known for its observatory, planetarium and laser light shows, the well-respected Cranbrook Institute of Science imparts natural history and science education in creative ways that blend old and new approaches. Outdoor activities, including eclipse viewing and maple tree tapping, are frequent. The institute features magnificent exhibits exploring the diversity of dinosaurs and its origin. There are various programs, lectures and camps held here as well.