Film, Motion Picture

Hist. Mus.

Silent, black and white 16mm film featuring a series of scenes shot around the Detroit Historical Museum.

The reel begins with a shot of a group of children exiting the museum through the Woodward Avenue doors. A woman is then filmed showing three boys objects in the museum's gift shop. After brief shots of the plaques near the museum's entrance, the camera shows a series of photographs on display in the "Woman of Achievement" exhibit. Several other shots then show other displays in the museum--a "Progress of a Pioneer" display about Burroughs, and a case containing models of early automobiles.

A man and woman are then filmed inspecting, then sitting in the 1913 Scripps Booth Bi-Autogo. A "Pioneers in Precision" display featuring several Burroughs business devices is then shown.

The next segment begins with a shot of a "Nautical Exhibit" sign. Visitors look at a variety of models of sailing ships, a large freighter, and one of the Chicago, Duluth, and Georgian Bay Transit Company passenger steamers (either the NORTH AMERICAN or the SOUTH AMERICAN). The film also contains shots of a display of half-models of ship hulls labeled as the Captain Leonard Brittain Collection.

Two men then examine Detroit's flag, which is on a pole beside a frame containing David Emil Heineman's original design for the flag.

In the next few scenes, a docent speaks to visitors from within some of the museum's period rooms. He holds up objects, including a candlestick mold, a tricorn hat, and a photo album, from the rooms up for a group of visitors to see.

The film then briefly features two other displays. First is the "Teacher of the Month" display, and the second is the "Old Newsboys Room." The latter contains two illustrations iconic of the Old Newsboys' Goodfellow Fund of Detroit--"Forgotten" by Tom May, and "The Boy He Used to Be," by Burt Thomas.

The final scenes relate to the ongoing construction of the Streets of Old Detroit exhibit. First, men inspect a series of sketches of the storefronts on a drawing board. Then workers are shown assembling panels and molding for the exhibit. Inside the firehouse area, workers use a ladder to put up molding along the edge of the ceiling. The fire engine is visible inside of the space as they work. A worker is also shown painting one of the background murals. The final three shots are of completed storefronts--the groceries and provisions store, the shoe store, and the jewelry store.

The film is on a grey metal reel with "Hist Mus" written in marker on one side.