In 1921, Clarence M. Burton brought together 19 local historians tasked with preserving Detroit’s history. It opened in 1928, dubbed “the highest museum in the world” for its one-suite location on the 23rd floor of what is now Cadillac Tower, quickly accumulating over 15,000 collected items.

In 1951, on the 250th Anniversary of the city’s founding, the Detroit Historical Museum finally got its permanent home on Woodward Avenue. Today, it chronicles the life and times of the region, complete with cobblestone streets, 19th century stores, an automotive assembly line, and a fur trading post from the 1700s.

A visit to the Detroit Historical Museum is a stroll through one of the most important places and times in American history.