Museums & art / Midtown
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
African American history, art, and community memory in Detroit’s cultural district.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
Founded by physician Charles H. Wright, the museum centers the complex history of African American life. Its exhibitions connect historical objects, individual experiences, and contemporary cultural questions. The spacious rotunda is a signature architectural feature and an important setting for Detroit’s public remembrance. A visit complements the surrounding art and history museums, while deserving time and attention of its own.
- African American history exhibitions
- The central rotunda
- Contemporary art and community programming
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 3
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Rosa Parks 1913–2005 · civil rights activist
Memorial
Her casket lay in repose in the museum's rotunda before the funeral, drawing tens of thousands of mourners.
- Aretha Franklin 1942–2018 · singer, songwriter, pianist
Related place
Thousands filed past her open casket here during the public viewing before her funeral in August 2018.
- Charles H. Wright 1918–2002 · obstetrician-gynecologist, museum founder
Founded
The museum he founded in 1965; its 125,000-square-foot Midtown building opened in 1997 and took his name in 1998. It holds one of the largest collections of African American culture in the world.
Photos were taken at different times; images are resized and cropped on cards.
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¼ · Stay
Sleep right around the corner
¼ · Free museum days
Free days here
- October11SundaySecond Sunday of every month, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.Free for everyone
- November7SaturdayFirst full weekend of every monthOne general admission per Bank of America, Merrill or Private Bank card, with photo ID
- November8SundaySecond Sunday of every month, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.Free for everyone
- November8SundayFirst full weekend of every monthOne general admission per Bank of America, Merrill or Private Bank card, with photo ID
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-24
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
Historical background: Wikipedia and its contributors; article licenses and revision histories are available on the source pages.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
Oct 30, 2026, 7:30 PMPHILADANCO! Dance Company
PHILADANCO! presents a modern dance program on Friday, October 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the General Motors Theater at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Four choreographic voices spotlight the company’s five-decade legacy in Black concert dance. Tickets: $25 general admission.
Oct 31, 2026, 7:30 PMPHILADANCO! Dance Company
PHILADANCO! brings a contemporary dance program to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit on Saturday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m. Four choreographic voices spotlight the legacy and present of Black concert dance. General admission $25.
Dec 4, 2026, 6:00 PMJulie Dash
Visionary filmmaker, writer, and cultural historian Julie Dash headlines The Wright Conversations on Friday, December 4, at 6 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History’s General Motors Theater in Detroit. The groundbreaking Daughters of the Dust director sits down for a live conversation; tickets $25, VIP meet & greet $40.
Dec 11, 2026, 7:30 PMjessica Care moore: Wild Beauty – experimental opera
Detroit poet jessica Care moore presents Wild Beauty, an original experimental opera, on Friday, December 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (General Motors Theater) in Detroit. It blends spoken word, opera, jazz, and soul with orchestral texture. General admission $25.
Dec 12, 2026, 7:30 PMWild Beauty — an experimental opera by jessica Care moore
jessica Care moore’s Wild Beauty plays Saturday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History’s General Motors Theater in Detroit. Spoken word meets opera, jazz, and soul with De’Sean Jones, Jon Dixon, Kisma Jordan, Shara Nova, and Ideeyah. General admission $25.
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