Museum to host free, open-to-the-public community celebration featuring free museum tours and unveiling of new outdoor gathering space
Motown Museum announced that it will host its annual Founder’s Day event from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. Open to the public, the event will offer free admission to the museum and a day full of family-friendly Motown-themed activities, in honor of Motown Museum founder, Esther Gordy Edwards. In addition, the museum will unveil its new outdoor gathering space—entitled Dancing in the Street Park. Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO Robin Terry made the announcement.
During Founder’s Day, attendees will enjoy live musical performances, a DJ, food trucks with food for purchase, and other family-friendly Motown-themed activities, including face painting, instrument exploration with Access Music Academy, coloring, singing and instrument making. Henry Ford Health System will also be on-site to provide free health screenings. Video booths will be available for guests to share and record their own Motown stories as part of Motown Museum’s #MotownReflections campaign in honor of its new exhibit Reflections: My Motown Story. Select stories will be shared on social media, as well as used for research and potential future exhibitions.
“This is such a special annual event for us as we celebrate my grandmother’s vision for Motown Museum and what a cultural jewel it has become for Motown fans in our community and around the world. She was a passionate advocate for Detroit: she believed in this city and wanted something that would always commemorate the Motown legacy that was born here,” said Terry. “As we mark this milestone year of 60 years of Motown and the unveiling of our new park, the spirit of this entire day is really all about our shared community. Whether you’ve visited us 100 times or you’re visiting for the very first time, we hope that everyone will come out and experience a day filled with great music, free activities and plenty of family fun.”
At 1 p.m., Motown Museum along with sponsors and local dignitaries, will unveil the Dancing in the Street Park located next to Hitsville USA. This project, in partnership with Project for Public Spaces, is part of the Southeast Michigan Placemaking Program and made possible by a grant from the William Davidson Foundation. Additional funding and program support was also received from the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation through their NeighborHUB grant in 2018.
“We are always excited to help organizations with roots as deep as the Motown Museum find new ways to serve their communities through public space,” said Elena Madison, Vice President at Project for Public Spaces. “By investing in placemaking, the William Davidson Foundation has set Dancing in the Street Park on the path to becoming a new anchor for the neighborhood.”
As part of the museum’s commitment to community, this park will serve as a gathering space that will be activated May-October with special, open-to-the-public programs and events.
“The Chamber is encouraged to see the NeighborHUB grant, provided through our partnership with General Motors, be put to such good use at Motown Museum,” said Tammy Carnrike, chief operating officer for the Detroit Regional Chamber. “The goal of NeighborHUB is to create future sustainability in Detroit’s neighborhoods and this project has truly transformed the greenspace next to Hitsville U.S.A. to create a space the Northwest Goldberg community can gather.”
Edwards founded Motown Museum in 1985. Sister of Motown Records Corporation Founder Berry Gordy, she held a variety of key leadership roles in the company, including senior vice president and corporate secretary.
In addition to Founder’s Day and other upcoming celebratory moments, Motown Museum will host its popular lineup of core programming, including its SPARK and IGNITE summer camps, and Amplify, a singing competition. Throughout the year, using #MotownReflections, fans can also share their own personal sentiments and individual Motown stories of how this powerful legacy has changed or influenced their lives. Sentiments can also be emailed to reflections@motownmuseum.org.
For more information on Motown Museum, including hours of operation, visit https://www.motownmuseum.org. This offer excludes groups and prior reservations.
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