Skip to content
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Detroit, MI

Photo: Jackdude101, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffLocal GemRainy-Day Pick

Ford Piquette Avenue Plant

461 Piquette Ave · Detroit, MI

Why you should go…

Built in 1904, this brick factory in Detroit's Milwaukee Junction is where Ford Motor Company created and first produced the Model T. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and museum, where photographs, film, artifacts and more than 65 rare vehicles tell the story of the early Motor City. You see Ford's early letter models alongside competitors such as Cadillac, Packard and Detroit Electric, and optional guided tours run several times a day.

  • #car museum
  • #model t
  • #automotive history
  • #national historic landmark

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Detroit Institute of Arts

    Under $25

    See Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals and more than 65,000 artworks in a Beaux-Arts building on Woodward Avenue.

    0.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

    Under $25

    One of the world's largest and oldest independent museums dedicated to African American history and culture.

    0.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Shopping
    Local Gem

    Polish Art Center

    Free

    A Hamtramck emporium of Polish stoneware, amber jewelry, folk art, and imported goods.

    1.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Shopping
    Foodie Favorite

    Eastern Market

    Free

    Shop for local produce, flowers, meat and specialty foods in historic open-air sheds in Detroit's sprawling public market district.

    2.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    Fox Theatre

    $50+

    See a Broadway tour, concert or comedy show inside Detroit's ornate 1928 movie palace, with more than 5,000 seats.

    2.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site

    Under $25

    Underground Railroad museum and heritage site honoring Rev. Josiah Henson near Dresden, Ontario.

    48 mi awayMore like this