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Things to see in Detroit

Tourist information: 

Metropolitan Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau
Suite 1000, 211 West Fort Street
Tel: 1 800 338 7648/DETROIT.
www.visitdetroit.com

Passes: 

There are no longer any dedicated tourist passes in Detroit, but money saving coupons are available from the CVB's website.

Automotive Hall of Fame

No trip to the 'Motor City' would be complete without a visit to this museum. Opened in 1997, the strikingly designed Automotive Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements and innovations of the leading figures of the world's auto industry. Interactive exhibits and displays recount the history of the automobile, especially as shaped by the individuals who brought it to the world - Ferdinand Porsche, Soichiro Honda and many others.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 21400 Oakwood Boulevard, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 240 4000.
Website: http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/
Belle Isle

Once known as Hog Island, the now more aptly named Belle Isle is a picturesque island in the Detroit River connected to the city by a small bridge. It is designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed New York's Central Park. Albert Kahn, a well-known turn-of-the-century architect, designed the Belle Isle's Whitcomb Conservatory ( ), which contains regional flora from all over the country. Year-round features include a nature centre, beaches, waterslide, tennis courts and playgrounds. The island hosts the Detroit Grand Prix every June.

Admission Fees: No.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: Jefferson Avenue and Grand Boulevard, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 852 4075.
Website: http://www.bibsociety.org/,http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/recreation/centers/m/belle_isle/bellem.htm
Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History

The Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History was the vision of a black doctor who wanted a centre to document and preserve black history, life and culture. Once a travelling museum housed in a mobile home, it has grown into the world's largest museum dedicated to African-American history. Its exhibits focus on many aspects of black history, from the initial journey from Africa to the Underground Railroad, jazz, Malcolm X, Dr Martin Luther King, and the Harlem Renaissance.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 315 East Warren Street, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 494 5800.
Website: http://www.maah-detroit.org
Detroit Institute of Arts

The surprisingly low-key Detroit Institute of Arts houses one of the largest fine arts collections in the USA. The museum is dominated by a number of murals by Diego Rivera, who was commissioned to produce frescos on the Detroit motor industry. The collection encompasses a wide diversity of genres and includes works by Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas and Francis Bacon.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 833 7900.
Website: http://www.dia.org
Dossin Great Lakes Museum

The brainchild of Walter Dossin, a power-boat racing magnate, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum chronicles the flavourful history of Great Lakes boating and shipping through models, exhibits, paintings and memorabilia. One of its most enticing attractions is the Gothic Room, which features 7.5 tonnes of carved gothic oak removed from the elegant turn-of-the-century river luxury liner City of Detroit III.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 100 Strand Drive, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 852 4051.
Website: http://www.detroithistorical.org/html/information/dossin.html
Motown Historical Museum

Motown (short for Motor Town) was born in Detroit in these two simple houses that now form the Motown Historical Museum. See the recording studio (complete with worn floor from toe-tapping) where legendary musicians like The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson developed the unique sound. Also on display are a number of personal items like the US$800 loan given to founder Berry Gordy to produce his first record.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 875 2264.
Website: http://www.motownmuseum.com
The New Detroit Science Center

The stars at this planetarium are even bigger than the ones at Motown Records. The Digital Dome Planetarium has Digistar technology and Sky-Skan automation, which allows the audience to take a virtual trip through the rings of Saturn or any other universe destination. This is the main attraction, although the centre also has a variety of hands-on exhibits, demystifying subjects like matter and energy, waves and vibrations, life sciences, ecosystems and motion.

Admission Fees: Yes.
Disabled Access: No
Unesco: No
Address: 5020 John R Street, Detroit, United States
Telephone: (313) 577 8400.
Website: http://www.sciencedetroit.org/
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