The museum holds over 35,000 artifacts and archival materials in its permanent collection.
The rotunda's glass dome was inspired by the design of African ritual huts and public gathering spaces.
The museum was originally founded in 1965 by Dr. Charles H. Wright, a physician and activist.
The core exhibition, 'And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture,' covers 10,000 square feet.
The museum serves as the custodian for significant artifacts related to the Underground Railroad in Michigan.
The building was designed by architect Harold Varner and opened at its current site in 1997.
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History houses one of the largest permanent collections of artifacts documenting the African American experience. Located in Detroit’s Cultural Center, the museum features the Blanche Coggin Underground Railroad Collection and the Harriet Tubman Museum Collection. Its architecture includes a massive rotunda with a 65-foot glass dome, serving as the facility's central gathering space. The museum hosts educational programming, film screenings, and musical performances in its dedicated event spaces. The facility emphasizes the history of the Great Migration and Detroit's role in the civil rights movement. It is a founding institution of the Midtown Detroit cultural district.
The center of the main rotunda looking upward toward the glass dome.
Check the online calendar for live performances and guest speaker events before visiting.
Allocate extra time to read the extensive signage in the 'And Still We Rise' exhibit, which is dense with historical detail.
Check for rotating special exhibits in the temporary gallery spaces on the second level.
Do not attempt to see the entire collection in under an hour; the narrative-driven exhibits require significant time to process.
Closed on Mondays and some major national holidays.
Maintain a respectful volume, especially within the permanent exhibit galleries.
