The public has until Friday, August 30 to share their thoughts on Detroit’s Most Celebrated Building
DETROIT – Whether it’s the Penobscot Building, the Masonic Temple, or old Tiger Stadium, the Detroit Historical Society is asking for all of southeastern Michigan to cast their nomination for any past or present building that best embodies the spirit of Detroit.
As a changing exhibit center stage in the Allesee Gallery of Culture, the Detroit Historical Museum is creating an exhibit entitled Detroit Decides: Our Most Celebrated Buildings. The exhibit will feature three buildings that signify the spirit of Detroit as nominated by the people in the metro Detroit area, highlighting key facts and memories.
“Determining the three buildings to be showcased will be based on the compelling cases made in the nominations,” said Tobi Voigt, chief curatorial officer of the Society. “Along with straight facts about each of the three buildings, the exhibit will primarily focus on stories and memories of Detroiters, demonstrating a real history of those buildings that represent the spirit of Detroit.” The date to unveil the finished exhibit is set for Saturday, February 1, 2014.
The Society is asking for any building in the City of Detroit, past or present, to be nominated. Nominations end on Friday, August 30, so submit your vote at the Detroit Historical Museum near the Museum Store or online at www.detroithistorical.org. The result of the nominations will be announced to the public toward the end of October to allow for more story submissions for the top three buildings.
The Allesee Gallery of Culture, opened in November 2012 as part of the Detroit Historical Museum’s $12 million renovation, showcases the people, places and moments that are distinctly Detroit. Focusing on 1900 to the present, the gallery spotlights cultural icons and artifacts that hold significant meaning to Detroiters -- everything from the neon glowing letters of Tiger Stadium to a brass drinking fountain from Hudson’s downtown store.
The Detroit Historical Museum, located at 5401 Woodward Ave. (NW corner of Kirby) in Midtown Detroit, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for all, all the time. Parking in the Museum’s lot is $5 at all times. Group tour pricing and information is available by calling (313) 833-1733. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Kid Rock Music Lab, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City, and The Glancy Trains. For more information, call the Museum at (313) 833-1805 or check out our website at www.detroithistorical.org.