Explore Nearby Museums
 Updated: 6/2/2008 
The Henry Ford
Dearborn, Michigan
Description

Backstory: Across the vast landscape of America, many places have the power to capture our imagination with the stories of the people who lived there and the events that took place there. But only one place has the power to tell the story of the American Experience as a whole. And that place is The Henry Ford. When Henry Ford first created his historic museum and village, nobody had ever seen anything quite like it. And nobody has ever since. In a single location, he brought together dozens of buildings and millions of artifacts — one of the largest collections of its kind ever assembled. Ford invited researchers and inventors to visit and work, and he created a bold and ambitious new way for people of all ages to discover and explore the richness of the American experience for themselves In the decades that followed, The Henry Ford has grown to become America’s greatest history attraction. It is here that the personal experience of ordinary and extraordinary individuals is celebrated and shared. Here that genuine artifacts gives the keys to seeing how the past shaped the present. And here that the ongoing story of American innovation truly comes alive. Come to America’s greatest history attraction and let American people, places and things captivate and inspire you. Their stories are powerful. Their stories are real. Their stories are yours.

Mission

The Henry Ford provides unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories, and lives from America's traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. Our purpose is to inspire people to learn from these traditions to help shape a better future.

History

Established in 1929 as The Edison Institute, the destination included Henry Ford Museum, a 12-acre indoor history museum and Greenfield Village, a 90-acre outdoor history museum. It was named after Henry Ford's close friend and contemporary Thomas Alva Edison, whose signature was scribed on the Museum's corner stone at the original groundbreaking. It has changed names a number of times since its founding, most recently in 2003 when it became known as The Henry Ford. Since its founding in 1929 the following attractions have been added to the destination to enhance the visitor experience: 1999: IMAX Theatre 2002: Benson Ford Research Center 2004: Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Artifact Collections

Artifacts (2-D and 3D) are in the multi-millions. At any given time about 10% of the collections are on display due to limitations of exhibition space. Include motorized and non-motorized transportation vehicles, buildings, industrial and non-industrial machines, furniture and appliances, apparel,decorative art, fine art,advertising art, photography and documents, among other things. Age of artifacts stretches over at least 300 years. National treasures include: Presidential limos, the Rosa Parks bus, the Lincoln chair, Buckmisnster Fuller's Dymaxion House, the Wright brothers' cycle shop and home, Edison's Menlo Park laboratory, the Noah Webster House.

Research Collections

Over one million 2- and 3-D artifacts are available to the public for research. All must be accessed on-site with permission, and by the rules of, the Benson Ford Research Center. In some cases additional fees are charged for more intensive explorations and access to precious artifacts. The BFRC also supplies research services remotely at a fee.

Programs

Special field trip discounted rates apply for each venue. Educators resources are available online and onsite (educator guides, student guides, pre- and post-visit lesson plans, non-field trip lesson plans, professional development opportunities for educators, teacher appreciation weekends, educator e-newsletters, facilitated field trip experiences.

Governance

Vision (established 2001): Within 10 years, The Henry Ford will become the benchmark history attraction in America, setting the standards in our field for educational value, hospitality, and meaningful, memorable and mission-satisfying visitor experiences.

Library

Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Members

Appointment required: False

Services
Gift Shop
Street Address
20900 Oakwood Blvd
Dearborn, MI 48121
Mailing Address
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48121
phone: 313-982-6001
e-mail: Sales@TheHenryFord.org
home page: www.thehenryford.org
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Hours of Operation

Henry Ford Museum is Open 7 days a week, 9:30am-5:00pm. Greenfield Village: January 1-April 14: Closed for the Winter Season. April 15–November 2: Open 7 days a week, 9:30am-5:00pm. November 3 –December 28: Open Friday–Sunday, 9:30am-5:00pm. IMAX Theatre: Open daily with extended hours. Ford Rouge Factory Tour: Open 9:30am–5:00pm, Monday–Saturday Buses depart each half hour, 9:20am-3:00pm. Benson Ford Research Center: Open 9:00am–5:00pm, Monday–Friday.

Admission
Museum Type(s)
Culture
History
Specialized
Staff
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

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Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

April 5 - 8, 2025

Ithaca, New York

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

Ithaca, New York

Hosted by: Museum Association of New York

Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Ou

Who are the members of our communities? How can we evaluate our internal structures to help us better understand our organization, define our audiences, and serve our communities? How do we bring all communities together to support our field? How can we support and develop our internal community of staff, volunteers, and board members? How can we advocate for funding that meets operational capacity needs and includes equitable staff support? What changes do we need to make to prioritize the health and well-being of our museum workforce that will support the longevity and sustainability of our institutions and strengthen our ability to build meaningful community relationships

MANY presents conference sessions, workshops, panel discussions, facilitated discussions, and peer-to-peer learning experiences focusing on our 2025 conference theme, Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Out. We will be gathering in Ithaca, in the Southern Tier Region of our state, located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation)

MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

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