Detroit’s Motown Museum unveils highly anticipated expansion, gets ready to reopen doors

The museum will have a soft reopening and resume abbreviated walking tours starting Aug. 14

3 Crowd At Motown
Courtesy of Motown Museum
A crowd gathers at the Motown Museum Monday for the unveiling of Rocket Plaza and Hitsville NEXT.

Detroit’s historic Motown Museum is gearing up to welcome visitors back following two highly anticipated upgrades.

The new developments — Hitsville NEXT, an educational programming and creative hub for emerging artists, and the museum’s new Rocket Plaza — were unveiled at a Monday evening celebration attended by distinguished Motown alumni. The museum had been closed since July 2021 due to flooding and construction.

During the evening of music and spoken word performances, Otis Williams, an original founding member of the Temptations, gifted microphones from his personal collection to the museum. Smokey Robinson spoke about the importance of fostering emerging artists, and fellow Motown superstars Martha Reeves, Shelley Berger, and Duke Fakir were also in attendance.

“The vision for this ambitious project that was first announced in 2016 — and that so many generous and committed supporters have contributed to — is now a reality,” said Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO Robin Terry in a press release. “Not only are we back — but we are back, bigger and better than ever.”

To celebrate the completion of these two projects, the museum will host its annual Founder’s Day celebration from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. The free gathering, in honor of the museum’s late founder Esther Gordy Edwards, will feature live entertainment on the new plaza, vendors, and performances by Hitsville NEXT program participants.

The museum will welcome visitors back for abbreviated walking tours beginning Sunday, Aug. 14. Portions of Hitsville U.S.A. including Studio A and the museum’s campus will be open while other areas will remain closed due to water damage. Full tours are expected to resume on Saturday, Oct. 1.

For more information or to book museum tours, see motownmuseum.org.