Detroit Auto Culture
The whole world knows it – Detroit is THE Motor City. From Henry Ford to…

Located just outside Detroit in Dearborn, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation houses a vast collection of transportation history from planes to trains to automobiles! Stroll through the permanent exhibit, Driving America, a collection of more than 100 historic vehicles and learn how the invention of the automobile changed our everyday lives from the way we eat to the way we travel. It is one of the most expansive automotive-centric experiences in the museum world. The permanent collection also features several presidential vehicles, including the 1961 John F. Kennedy Presidential limo and the beautifully restored Rosa Parks’ bus. Looking for a gift for the car lover in your family, or yourself? The Henry Ford has a fantastic gift shop.
The Ford Rouge Factory Tour departs from the Henry Ford Museum 6-days a week and includes a 5-part experience and the opportunity to see trucks being assembled in real time. The Rouge Factory opened in 1928 and still produces vehicles to this day.
Also within The Henry Ford complex, you can ride in an authentic Model T through Greenfield Village, which is open from May through December. The village is a collection of historic structures from across the country, ringed by a functioning steam railroad, including Henry Ford’s childhood home, a replica of the garage where he built his first Quadricycle and a replica of his first factory, which originally sat on Mack Ave. Other historic structures include the 1860 Detroit Central Market Vegetable Shed, the Wright Brothers bicycle shop and a replica of Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park research laboratory.
Located across from The Henry Ford, the Automotive Hall of Fame celebrates the contributions of over 800 men and women who pioneered automotive innovations throughout the 20th Century and today. Think Henry Ford, Eiji Toyoda, Walter P. Chrysler, Soichiro Honda and many others.
The venue is also home to the Hall of Honor, which is considered one of the largest single pieces of automotive fine art, along with Diego Rivera’s 1933 Detroit Industry fresco cycle, which is on display at the nearby Detroit Institute of Arts.

You can also walk the plank floors where the first 12,000 Ford Model Ts were assembled at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum. This is the actual birthplace of the most significant automobile of the 20th century. It is where Henry Ford got his start. You’ll learn about his story of innovation, his early successes, his many false starts and his failures that drove him to do better next time. You can get up close to more than 65 rare automobiles including Henry Ford’s “Letter Cars,” unique Model T conversion vehicles, and other antique cars manufactured in Milwaukee Junction.
Next, you’ll want to check out America’s Motor City exhibition at the Detroit Historical Museum in Midtown Detroit. It tells the “fascinating stories of both how cars built metro Detroit and how metro Detroit built cars, as well as why Detroit became the Motor City.” It also features an assembly line and special exhibit on how Detroit automakers pivoted to wartime production to defeat fascism during WWII.
At the northern end of Woodward Ave. lies the industrial city of Pontiac, former home to the Pontiac brand (1926-2010) as well as GM Truck & Bus. The Pontiac Transportation Museum opened in 2024 and celebrates the brand’s history with a car collection that would make Jay Leno envious.
Stahs Automotive Museum in Chesterfield is a non-profit that exists in order to preserve, restore and exhibit specific vintage vehicles of the 20th century for educational purposes. It features an extensive collection of early 20th century vehicles and is open on Tuesdays from 1-4 or by appointment.
Roush Automotive Museum in Livonia is a 30,000 sq. ft. private facility. Housed within the collection are a wide variety of displays, multi-media exhibits, artifacts, memorabilia and 110+ vehicles dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of Roush Enterprises. The museum and gift shop are open 9:30-4pm M-F.

In The D, we love looking at cars just as much as we enjoy driving them. One of our favorite pastimes is setting our camping chairs along side of major roadways and watching the area’s best classic cars cruise by. There are far too many events to mention but here are some of the largest annual cruises.
Cruisin’ Downriver packs half a million people into downriver cities, Taylor and Southgate, each June to pay homage to the automobile. There’s good food, great people-watching, awesome oldies and of course lots of cars, from T-Birds and Chevys to Mustangs and more.
The Mount Clemens Cruise is Metro Detroit’s oldest car cruise and continues to entertain, amaze and draw in big crowds of classic car owners and lovers to downtown Mt. Clemens every June. In addition to the cars, there’s a kids zone for the youngsters, and we can only hope the flame-throwing contest will be brought back again this year.

Cruisin’ Gratiot, is Eastpointe’s annual, weeklong celebration of car history, tradition, memorabilia and some family fun. It takes place in June between 8 & 10 Mile Roads.
Cruisin’ Hines takes place annually in August on historic Hines Drive, which was created thanks to an idea by Henry Ford. Only classic cars (25+) are allowed through Dearborn’s Hines Park, a one of a kind park created on a natural floodplain.
Last but not least, The annual Woodward Dream Cruise is the world’s largest single-day automotive event, bringing 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars, street rods, and special interest vehicles each year from around the world to Detrot’s Mother road. From Ferndale to Pontiac, each city and automaker celebrates in its own unique way with mini auto shows, music and food. You can even cruise up & down Woodward on the free SMART bus to take in more of the event. The official event takes place on the third Saturday of August but diehard fans are out as early as the Monday before, cruising & parking along Woodward.
The Detroit Auto Show, previously known as the North American International Auto Show, has been held in January at Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Hall) since 1965. This annual show features the latest and greatest designs from domestic & foreign automakers and is open to the public. Before it opens to the public, a black tie charity preview is held to raise money for children's charities.
If race cars are more your style, then the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix is the place for you. After 30 years on Belle Isle, this thrilling race has returned to downtown Detroit featuring public days, warmups, qualifying and the big race on Sunday. Be sure to book your hotel well in advance!
If hot rods, rat rods or trailer queens are more your speed, Autorama is for you. For over 60 years, this annual hot rod show has rolled into Huntington Place on the heels of the Auto Show. The main floor belongs to the classics but the lower level is where you’ll find rat rods, CCS student displays and a pin-up contest. In 2017, they kicked off the event by jumping a General Lee Charger Dukes of Hazzard style near the Detroit River!
Seeking something more highbrow? Concours d’Elegance is an annual event featuring the best of the best show cars, exotics and antiques. Originally held on the Cranbrook Estate, the event moved to Northville in 2021.
Aside from museum exhibits, Detroit has a few unique sites almost exclusive to automotive history. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum is the birthplace of the Model T, the most significant automobile of the 20th century. Here you can walk the floors where the first 12,000 Model T's were assembled. Although not open to the public, just up the street are the remains of Ford’s Highland Park Plant where he famously offered the historic wage of $5 a day.
The GM Renaissance Center is one of Detroit’s most famous buildings, and home to General Motors from 2004-2025. Located on the Detroit riverfront, this iconic Detroit building looks like a fortress and is also home to the Detroit Marriott and amazing views of both Detroit and Canada. In 2025 GM moved into the new Hudson’s Building on Woodward. Future plans for the RenCen are forthcoming.
GM’s Factory Zero sits on the site of the original Dodge Main as well as a historic neighborhood formerly known as Poletown. The use of eminent domain to demolish homes, churches and businesses was controversial back in 1981 but deemed necessary to keep jobs in the city. The plant closed in 2019 and reopened in 2021 to make Electric Hummers and Silverados.
M1 Concourse is an 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts that includes the world’s largest community of Private Garages and a state-of-the-art 1.5-mile Performance Track with its own private Motorsports Club and go-cart race track. It was built on the site of the General Motors Truck & Bus assembly factory in Pontiac.
220 Michigan Ave is the location of the historic marker commemorating the birthplace of the Ford Motor car. In the shed behind the house Henry Ford was renting with his wife, Clara, he built his first quadracycle. The location is now the Michigan Building and former theater, now a parking garage with the most beautiful ceiling.
One place you shouldn’t miss if you love car culture is taking in a double feature at the history Ford Wyoming Drive-In. Open 7-days a week, the drive-in, located in Dearborn, has been a tradition since 1950. So throw some air mattresses in the back of your SUV and back into spot to create new memories under the stars. Don’t forget the popcorn!
You can also visit the former homes of Detroit’s most famous auto barons:
The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores is the private estate of one of America’s most iconic automotive families. The stunning architecture, the expansive lakefront gardens and grounds, the historic cars — all give a glimpse into the Ford family’s life at the estate. The home is open for guided and self guided tours.
Fair Lane, in Dearborn, was Henry and Clara Ford’s final home. It is under restoration but you can still visit and walk the grounds around this beautiful home.
At Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills you can tour the 88,000 sqft historic mansion built by Matilda Dodge Wilson, widow of John Dodge, and her husband Alfred Wilson between 1926-1929. Explore the expansive gardens, recreational facilities and farm buildings. They feature an annual holiday walk and offer wedding and event rental.
There are several other famous automotive homes you can visit around Detroit but most are private residences so please be respectful. Happy motoring!
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