Detroit’s Motown Museum is reopening for tours on 22 February amid the third and final phase of its $65 million expansion project.
Per a release, each tour will be led by a knowledgeable guide who will reveal the history of Motown and Hitsville U.S.A., the record label’s first headquarters and recording studio.
Visitors will view curated exhibits, original recording equipment, and the apartment that Berry Gordy lived in during the label’s early days. They will also get to see Studio A, where some of the greatest Motown songs were recorded from 1959 to 1972.
“Welcoming guests back into Motown Museum is like welcoming family back home,” said Robin Terry, the Motown Museum’s chairwoman and CEO.
“We know this year will be unlike anything we’ve experienced before as we continue to make progress on the expansion.
“We appreciate the support of the community and Motown fans around the world as we continue to build a lasting legacy.”
Before closing in November last year, the Motown Museum released renderings of the project’s third phase – a new 40,000-square-foot building behind Hitsville U.S.A.
This will house interactive exhibits, an expanded retail experience and the Ford Motor Company Theater.
New building behind Hitsville U.S.A.
“The expansion will allow us to share the often untold stories of those who helped build the Motown legacy and create memorable opportunities for fans to interact with their favorite artists in new ways,” said Terry.
The new building “provides an elegant backdrop to Hitsville U.S.A., complementing a story of Motown’s humble beginnings and its world shaping impact”, said architect Zena Howard.
“This design is a way of telling the Motown story through architecture.”
The museum broke ground on the first phase of its expansion in September 2019.
Images: Motown Museum
