Detroit Historical Museum

Since its founding in 1921, the Detroit Historical Society has been dedicated to ensuring that the history of our region is preserved so that current and future generations of metro Detroiters can better understand the people, places and events that helped shape our lives. In 1928, our leaders founded the Detroit Historical Museum, and for the next 20 years, we operated the Museum and preserved our region’s rich history through the collection and conservation of artifacts. In 1945, we transferred ownership of the Museum and the collections to the City of Detroit and changed our focus to fundraising and marketing activities for the Detroit Historical Museum and, later, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. Throughout the next five decades, we raised funds, recruited volunteers and ensured that the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and Historic Fort Wayne (which opened as a City-owned and operated historical attraction in the 1970s) remained a vibrant presence in Detroit’s cultural landscape. In 2006, our leaders reached a new agreement with the City of Detroit to once again become the day-to-day manager of the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and the more than 250,000 artifacts held in the collections. Management of the historic re-enactments, special events and outdoor activities at Historic Fort Wayne was assumed by the City of Detroit’s Recreation Department. Since that time, our Board of Trustees and staff have reinforced their commitment to ensuring excellence in all of the organization’s activities. In September 2006, the Detroit Historical Museum celebrated its Grand Re-Opening after a Society-led 10-week makeover that saw the installation of six new exhibits and many needed facility improvements. In March 2007, the Society completed a similar makeover at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, which reopened to record attendance. In 2009, we launched our Past>Forward Campaign, with the goal of raising $20.1 million over five years for new and expanded exhibits, technology upgrades, educational offerings and enhancements to the Detroit Historical Museum, Dossin Great Lakes Museum and the collection.