Current Exhibitions

In partnership with the Detroit Lions and showcasing artifacts from both the team’s collection and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this exhibition will explore the franchise’s roots and the NFL of the 1930s, period of dominance in the 1950s, Hall of Fame-level star power players, and the Dan Campbell-led gritty Lions of today.  

Exhibition presented in partnership with the Detroit Lions, Gilbert Family Foundation, and Visit Detroit.

After World War II, designer Richard Arbib of the The Henney Motor Company - Packard’s coachbuilder - was tasked with refreshing Packard’s styling. Arbib’s design called for a 1952 Packard convertible to be cut in half horizontally in order to remove a four-inch strip of body to reduce its height in a process known as sectioning. To lengthen the car, Henney drastically extended the rear quarter panels while the windshield was cut and lowered for a sportier look.

This vehicle is the first of six Pan Americans that were built for the show circuit - four of which remain - and belonged to Edward Macauley, head of Packard design in the 1950s.

Detroit-brand diesel engines have powered everything from 18-wheelers to presidential yachts since their founding in 1938. A local institution, it has employed generations of Detroiters and continues to be a leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of diesel engines both on and off the highway. 

See this new exhibition highlighting the company’s start as GM Diesel, its evolution into Detroit Diesel, and celebrates the innovations and contributions of the largest, hardest working engine producer in Motor City history. 

The Bayview Mackinac Race is one of Michigan’s storied summer traditions, drawing thousands of sailors from around the Great Lakes for the annual friendly competition on Lake Huron with a finish at the iconic Mackinac Island.  

Challenge these Waters: A Century of Sailing from Detroit to Mackinac Island, produced in conjunction with Bayview Yacht Club, celebrates the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race Presented by National Fleet Services in July 2024.

A dynamic, self-directed walking tour of Detroit's historic Black Bottom neighborhood, told through the lens of former residents and their descendants. 

The tour was created by the Detroit Historical Society, Design Core Detroit and Octane Design for the 2021 Detroit Month of Design, with community partnership from Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation and Black Bottom Archives. 

As the hotel marks its 100th anniversary, the Detroit Historical Society has partnered with the Westin Book Cadillac team to create an on-site historical exhibition to recognize its century of history.

View the virtual exhibit here.

In 2022, the Detroit Historical Society began a series of exhibits, events, public programs, and educational offerings in The Hustle, a program designed to celebrate and honor Detroit's Black entrepreneurs, told in their own words.

The finale exhibition, The Hustle: Detroit’s Unsung Entrepreneurs, featured 34 honorees selected from nearly 800 crowd-sourced nominations and was on display from Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 at the Detroit Historical Museum.

In 2023 Bedrock reopened Book Tower in downtown Detroit after a complete renovation. 

To highlight the landmark building’s 100-year history, the Detroit Historical Society has partnered with Bedrock to create a Historic Exhibition in the building’s lobby, featuring items items salvaged in the building’s renovation along with unique artifacts loaned by the Book family.