I went on what’s become my annual spring trek to the the southern US and decided to visit some music museums along the way there and back.
First stop on the way was at the Motown Museum located at 2648 West Grand Blvd. in Detroit.
The building is the original house purchased by Berry Gordy Jr. where he lived with his wife and kids upstairs while the rest of the house was used as the recording studio and offices of his new business.
As the popularity of the Motown music soared Berry and his family moved out and the company took over the whole house which was then named “Hitsville”.
Gordy purchased the houses on either side and eventually the company owned 5 adjacent houses on West Grand Blvd.
The Museum is in the original house now connected to the the house next door and tours are run several times a day.
The neighbourhood is very clean, orderly and unthreatening, the Museum is several blocks off the freeway and easy to find by Google map and following the signs.
The tour lasts about an hour and is conducted by enthusiastic tour guides who are worth the the price of admission themselves with many humorous anecdotes, outbursts of songs which become sing alongs and an answer for every question asked.
If you plan on visiting the Motown Museum it’s probably best to read a bit first about what was one of the great music stories of our lives. “Motown” by Gerald Posner is a good place to start.
Check out motown museum.org for more information.
Frank McNulty
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