Dearborn is a city located in south-eastern Michigan, near the city of Detroit. It has a rich history as the former home of Henry Ford and is the current world headquarters for the Ford Motor Company. Dearborn is home to the popular Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, but it also features many other interesting attractions and destinations.
| Attraction | Description |
|---|---|
| The Henry Ford Museum | A vast museum showcasing American innovation. |
| Greenfield Village | An outdoor history museum reflecting early America. |
| The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience | A large-scale theater with educational and Hollywood films. |
| The Force Behind the Forces Exhibit | An exhibit honoring women’s contributions during WWII. |
| The Ford Rouge Factory Tour | A tour of Ford’s massive industrial complex. |
| The Arab American National Museum | Museum dedicated to Arab American history and culture. |
| Dearborn Farmers Market | A seasonal outdoor market with local produce and goods. |
| Dearborn Historic Museum | Museum showcasing Dearborn’s history. |
| Dearborn Music Theater for Youth | A theater focusing on youth musical education. |
| LEGOLAND Discovery Center | An interactive LEGO-themed family entertainment center. |
| Rouge River Gateway Greenway Trail | A scenic trail along the Rouge River. |
| Dearborn Ice Skating Center | A public ice skating facility with two NHL-sized rinks. |
Dearborn is known for its innovative spirit, cultural diversity, and unique attractions. Whether you’re interested in history, the arts, nature, science, or culture, Dearborn has something that will pique your curiosity. In this article, we will highlight 12 of the most popular and unique attractions that bring visitors from all over the world to Dearborn. So read on to learn more about visiting this vibrant midwestern city!
1.The Henry Ford Museum
Name and Location: The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Founded in 1929 by Henry Ford, the Henry Ford Museum chronicles 300 years of American innovation and ingenuity. It houses a world-class collection of artifacts highlighting American ideals of freedom, opportunity, and self-determination.
What to Expect: Visitors can expect to see iconic American inventions like the Wright Brothers’ airplane, Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory, the bus on which Rosa Parks took her stand, and so much more. Interactive exhibits bring history to life.
Visitor Information: The museum is open 7 days a week. Check website for hours and ticket pricing. Accessible parking and restrooms available. Food court onsite.
The Henry Ford Museum first opened its doors in 1929. It was the brainchild of Henry Ford’s interest in preserving Americana and American innovation. Today, the expansive 260,000 square foot museum is one of the largest indoor museums in the country and features an unparalleled collection of Americana.
Visitors can view Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theatre, the bus where Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat, John F. Kennedy’s presidential limousine from his assassination in 1963, and so much more.
The museum captures 300 years of history with its collection of vintage automobiles, locomotives, aircraft, furniture and decorative arts, machinery, toys, clothing & textiles, and so much more.
Some of the museum’s most iconic exhibitions include “Heroes of the Sky,” featuring famous aircraft like the Wright brothers’ Flyer; “With Liberty and Justice for All,” chronicling the history of individual freedoms and civil rights in America; and “Automotive Hall of Fame,” honoring visionaries who helped shape both Ford Motors and the automotive industry.
Adults and children alike will marvel at the breadth of history preserved at The Henry Ford. It’s easy to spend an entire day meandering through the exhibits and expansive grounds.
2.Greenfield Village
Name and Location: Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Adjacent to The Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village opened in 1929 as an outdoor history museum. It preserves nearly 100 historic structures relating to American innovation and freedom, including the Wright Bicycle Shop, Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park lab, and the courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law.
What to Expect: Visitors can explore Henry Ford’s life work and wander through iconic settings where American history was made. Costumed presenters share stories and bring the past to life. Seasonal events celebrate traditions, food, and culture.
Visitor Information: Greenfield Village is open seasonally 7 days a week. Check website for hours and ticket pricing. Wheelchair and stroller rental available. Multiple dining locations onsite.
Adjacent to The Henry Ford lies Greenfield Village, an outdoor history museum that transports visitors back in time. Henry Ford created the village to reflect life in early rural America and memorialize famous innovations that changed history. Today, visitors strolling down the brick pathways encounter historic homes and buildings set amidst beautiful landscapes and farmlands.
Featured homes include the Wright Cycle Shop and Home, where visitors learn about the Wright brothers and the birth of aviation. Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory represents Edison’s brilliance and productivity during his most creative years. Noah Webster’s Connecticut home celebrates Webster’s contribution to American education through creating dictionaries, school textbooks and helping to standardize spelling.
Along with historic homes, Greenfield Village features working farms, a functioning gristmill, and horse-drawn carriages that evoke 19th century small town America. Costume guides interact with visitors to bring history to life. The outdoor museum grounds constantly evolve with special programs, activities and rotating exhibits that delve into new aspects of American history.
Greenfield Village offers an immersive journey into the sights, sounds and stories of 300 years of American innovation and progress.
3.The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience
Name and Location: The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: The 5-story IMAX theater first opened in 1999, featuring a 60ft x 80ft screen to showcase immersive cinema experiences focusing on innovation, imagination, and America’s can-do spirit.
What to Expect: Visitors can expect to be transported through incredibly realistic, giant-screen films that celebrate American history. Current features highlight the human spirit of innovation in aviation, space exploration, and manufacturing.
Visitor Information: The Giant Screen Experience is open daily. Tickets can be purchased individually or included with museum admission. Runtimes vary 30-45 minutes. Accessible seating available.
The Henry Ford is also home to Michigan’s largest giant screen theater, with a five-story tall screen and breathtaking 4K digital projection system. The Giant Screen Experience presents both educational documentaries focused on science, space and history, as well as popular Hollywood releases.
Current films include “Apollo 11: First Steps,” showcasing the triumphant 1969 moon landing through never-before-seen footage and audio recordings. “Super Power Dogs” follows the adventures of search and rescue dogs across the globe. Upcoming Hollywood films coming to the giant screen theater include Top Gun: Maverick and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Prior to each screening, the theater presents a signature 10-minute moving muralProgram created specifically for the giant screen. Narrated stories highlight Henry Ford’s visionary innovations and contributions that changed American life in the 20th century and beyond.
4.The Force Behind the Forces Exhibit
Name and Location: The Force Behind the Forces Exhibit, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Opened in 2018, this special exhibit examines how American manufacturing, natural resources, and human resilience contributed to winning World War II. Over 300 artifacts are on display.
What to Expect: Visitors can expect an immersive, narrative-style gallery highlighting the Arsenal of Democracy’s efforts to equip Allied forces. Multi-sensory media recreates manufacturing plants, battlefields, and the homefront.
Visitor Information: This exhibit is included with general admission to The Henry Ford Museum and open during regular museum hours. Check website for ticket pricing and accessibility options.
In 2014, The Henry Ford unveiled a new permanent exhibit called “The Force Behind the Forces” to honor the contributions of women during World War II. Visitors to this 16,000 square foot exhibit learn how women played an integral role in the Allied victory during World War II.
When millions of American men joined the armed forces and headed into combat, women back home stepped into vital jobs that kept wartime production rolling. As housewives, students, secretaries and more, over six million women joined the workforce during WWII. They started building tanks, ships, aircraft, weapons and other vital military equipment that gave Allied troops advantages over the Axis powers. Visitors see Rosie the Riveter as the iconic face of the new female workforce.
This exhibit features powerful stories that highlight women’s heroism and sacrifice through artifacts, photos, multimedia exhibits and oral histories. Visitors hear firsthand accounts from women who broke glass ceilings working in wartime factories. Collections highlight cultural changes as women assumed non-traditional jobs. Visitors also learn about women who volunteered with organizations that directly supported troops and families impacted by the war.
Ultimately, “The Force Behind the Forces” honors those who gave up their daily lives to serve their nation when America needed them most. Their selfless contributions were the driving force behind the Allied victory.
5.The Ford Rouge Factory Tour
Name and Location: The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: The historic Ford Rouge plant opened in 1928 as Henry Ford’s integrated manufacturing complex where raw materials were transformed into Model As. The modern plant still produces Ford trucks onsite after a $2 billion revitalization.
What to Expect: This behind-the-scenes walking tour gives visitors an inside look at Ford’s vertical integration, green technology, and 21st century manufacturing innovations that keep American automaking strong.
Visitor Information: Free tickets required. Closed-toe shoes required. Tours run daily year-round lasting about 1.5 hours. Check website for schedule and accessibility options.
No trip to Dearborn is complete without visiting The Ford Rouge Factory Tour to witness Ford’s iconic industrial complex in action. As Ford’s largest manufacturing facility in the world, the Rouge spans over two square miles with 6 million square feet of factory floor space.
Visitors can take daily tours of the factory’s awe-inspiring production operation, known as the “cathedral of industry.” Guests walk along elevated walkways to get an up-close view of the famous assembly line producing the latest Ford F-150 pickup trucks. Visitors are immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of an automotive manufacturing plant in action.
In addition to truck production, visitors learn about Ford’s progressive sustainability initiatives during their self-guided tour. Ford installed living roofs, renewable energy systems, rainwater harvesting and natural lighting as part of their commitment to environmental responsibility. Guests even catch views of a herd of American Bison grazing on the facility’s grassy meadows.
No matter someone’s interest or knowledge of manufacturing and sustainability, the Rouge Factory Tour offers a one-of-a-kind perspective into automotive production.
6.The Arab American National Museum
Name and Location: The Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Founded in 2005, the Arab American National Museum documents and celebrates Arab immigration and contributions to American culture, innovation, and economy. Exhibits rotate seasonally highlighting visual arts, culture, and a century of civic growth.
What to Expect: Visitors gain appreciation for Arab American heritage through artwork, artifacts, multimedia presentations, and cultural resources. Annual events celebrate history, film, lectures, performing arts, and literature.
Visitor Information: The museum is open 6 days a week. Check website for hours and ticket pricing. Group tours available. Gift shop onsite.
Dearborn is also home to the Arab American National Museum (AANM), the first museum dedicated to Arab American history and culture. Located in Dearborn’s historic south end neighborhood, the AANM has been a part of the Smithsonian Institution affiliate program since 2003.
Through multimedia exhibits, art, artifacts and special programs, the museum promotes a greater understanding of Arab Americans and their many contributions that have enriched the shared experience of immigrants to America. Visitors gain insights into the diversity within Arab nations and cultures spanning the Middle East and North Africa.
Popular rotating exhibits have included “New Views: Arab American Artists” highlighting local artists, “Arab Americans: Making a Difference” profiling leaders in science, politics and pop culture, and “Foodways: Arab American Culinary Traditions” exploring the history behind favorite Arabic dishes.
The AANM also houses a family resource center, 415-seat auditorium, gift shop and Sahara Café featuring Arabic fare. As the only museum telling the story of Arab Americans, the AANM is a can’t miss attraction in Dearborn.
7.Dearborn Farmers Market
Name and Location: Dearborn Farmers Market, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Opened in 2006, Dearborn Farmers Market brings Southeast Michigan’s abundance of fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and specialty products to a vibrant, open-air downtown venue promoting local agriculture, nutrition, and small business.
What to Expect: Visitors enjoy lively weekends stocking up on farm-fresh produce, artisanal fare, and gourmet goodies while supporting the local food economy through small business incubation. Seasonal events celebrate food traditions.
Visitor Information: Free to attend. Open year-round on Saturdays with additional seasonal market days. Check website for hours and schedule of cooking demos/activities.
Dearborn Farmers Market sets up weekly from June through October in Wagner Park in West Downtown Dearborn. The open-air market attracts thousands of visitors each week browsing farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, artisanal baked goods, fresh cut flowers, herbs and plants. Shoppers will also find specialty products like honey, maple syrup, salsa, hummus and halal meats.
Mixed in with the produce stands, shoppers will find local artists and crafters selling photography prints, custom jewelry, soy candles, clothing, accessories and more. The market also features local musicians and bands playing everything from folk to jazz to classic rock.
The Farmers Market integrates fun activities like free Zumba classes, crafts and games for kids, book readings and even visits from superheroes. Food trucks sell everything from burgers to ice cream for shoppers taking a lunch break.
Open from 9 am to 2 pm each Saturday, the Dearborn Farmers Market is the place to sample the region’s bounty while supporting local businesses. It’s both a weekly tradition and a community gathering place for many Dearborn families.
8.Dearborn Historic Museum
Name and Location: Dearborn Historic Museum, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Located in the former Dearborn City Hall built in 1928, this museum chronicles Dearborn’s evolution from rural township to industrial powerhouse thanks to transportation innovations that Henry Ford commercialized.
What to Expect: Visitors take a trip back in time to 19th century Dearborn through restored spaces furnished with period artifacts. Rotating exhibits profile Early American agriculture, commerce, housing, and civic development tied to Detroit’s early auto manufacturing era.
Visitor Information: Free admission. Located downtown. Open weekdays and second Saturdays. Check website for hours. Tours available by appointment.
Located within the Commandant’s Quarters inside Historic Fort Dearborn Park, the Dearborn Historical Museum brings 300 years of local and regional history to life. The museum houses over 250,000 artifacts in their collection spanning early Native American heritage through the 20th century growth of Dearborn and the auto industry.
Popular exhibits include “Remembering Dearborn” sharing memories and mementos from the city’s residents. Visitors see early farming implements, costumes, photographs, storefront replicas and more. The museum captures many eras of innovation with collections focused on poet Henry Longfellow, infamous Clyde Barrow’s early years in Dearborn, artifacts from Fordson High School opened in 1922, and early aviation milestones.
Museum displays rotate seasonally so people discover new aspects of Dearborn’s history with each visit. In addition to the exhibits, guests learn about the site’s storied history. Part of the museum lies inside the oldest preserved structure in Dearborn originally erected in 1833. Historic Fort Dearborn Park also commemorates the area’s early frontier military history. School groups, tourists and lifelong residents regularly visit the Dearborn Historical Museum as an educational and engaging community center.
9.Dearborn Music Theater for Youth
Name and Location: Dearborn Music Theater for Youth, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Founded in 1953, Dearborn Youth Theater is one of the nation’s longest-running theater programs serving young people. Generations of performers have gained skills in musical theater productions based on children’s literature.
What to Expect: Aspiring actors from 1st through 12th grade perform annual musicals like Willy Wonka, Annie, and more. Season runs January-May with public performances on weekends. Camps also offered in summer.
Visitor Information: Tickets available online or at the door. Performance lengths vary. Call or visit website for full season schedule and details on classes/auditions.
The Dearborn Music Theater for Youth (DMT-Y) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the musical education of the youth in Dearborn and the surrounding area. Since the 1960s, DMT-Y has produced high quality Broadway musicals, giving local kids and teenagers the chance to shine on stage regardless of their training or experience level. The theater instills core values of teamwork, integrity, understanding, and passion through the collaborative art of musical theater.
Six productions run every year featuring both classic and contemporary shows like “Annie,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Wiz,” “Mary Poppins,” and “The Addams Family.” While DMT-Y is primarily an educational theater organization, they have produced professional quality performances that rival other children’s community theaters in southeastern Michigan. Many students have gone on to study theater, music and performance art at the university and professional level.
Each lively, colorful musical features custom-made costumes, impressive lighting and set design, and live pit orchestras. Performances take place in Dearborn’s beautiful Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. For over 50 years, the Dearborn Music Theater for Youth has given local kids access to quality music education and memorable on-stage experiences.
10.LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Name and Location: LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Open since 2016, the LEGOLAND Discovery Center is an indoor family entertainment center featuring millions of LEGO bricks in creative build/play areas, rides, a 4D cinema, and MINILAND display of iconic Detroit landmarks.
What to Expect: Families with kids 3-10 years old can expect interactive adventures inspiring creativity, problem-solving skills, and fun with everyone’s favorite building blocks. Themed play zones encourage free build challenges.
Visitor Information: Advance online tickets required. Check website for hours. Plan 2-3 hours for full experience. Food/drinks available for purchase onsite.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center is an indoor family entertainment center designed specifically for families with kids aged 3-12 years old. The location has been designed exclusively using 30 million LEGO bricks to create colorful interactive sculptures, construction sites, mazes and mini cities. Kids can explore interactive builds based around popular LEGO themes like NINJAGO, Star Wars, Friends, City and LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS.
Families enjoy two LEGO build and ride experiences allowing kids to envision themselves as LEGO mini-figure pilots, astronauts, captains or race car drivers. The location’s MINILAND area contains over 1.5 million LEGO bricks bringing iconic Detroit landmarks like Comerica Park, the Fox Theater and the Ford Rouge factory tour to life in miniature.
The ultimate destination for LEGO fans also includes a 4D cinema experience and private facilities available for birthday parties and special events. With many interactive builds designed specifically for preschoolers, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dearborn is an ideal destination for families with young children who want to inspire open-ended creativity through imaginative play.
11.Rouge River Gateway Greenway Trail
Name and Location: Rouge River Gateway Greenway Trail, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Completed in 2004, this multi-use paved trail spans 2 miles connecting Dearborn’s Wagner Park with Hines Park further west, providing key linkage in southeast Michigan’s developing greenway network.
What to Expect: Walkers, joggers, cyclists, and skaters enjoy a scenic trek crossing wooded parks and the Rouge River aboard an iconic bowstring arch bridge, part of Dearborn’s legacy as an early 20th century industrial powerhouse.
Visitor Information: Trail access from parking lots at Wagner Park or Hines Park. Restrooms and water fountains available seasonally. Visit city website for maps and details.
Outdoor enthusiasts visiting Dearborn can explore over two miles of paved trails along the beautiful Rouge River Gateway. This greenway trail connects Dearborn’s Wagner Park near The Henry Ford to Hines Park further north for a combined four mile round trip walk or bike ride.
Along the way, this non-motorized trail system winds through woodlands, wetlands and riverbanks. Naturalists admire abundant bird species and native vegetation lining the paths. Interpretive signs detail the history and ecosystem surrounding the lower Rouge River. Trail visitors cross pedestrian bridges over the river and even glimpse wild deer in conservation areas. Parts of the trail parallel the iconic Ford Motor Company campus.
The Gateway Greenway Trail also connects to an extensive metro Detroit regional trail system for adventurous cyclists looking to explore further. With mostly flat terrain and plenty of access points, the scenic trail appeals to nature lovers of all ages seeking an easy escape into nature without leaving Dearborn. It’s also popular for family bike rides and strolls on sunny weekends.
12.Dearborn Ice Skating Center
Name and Location: Dearborn Ice Skating Center, Dearborn MI
History and Significance: Opened in 2010 after a $15 million renovation, this Olympic regulation ice arena serves as the practice facility for Hockeytown’s minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins and tournament host to skating competitions at all levels.
What to Expect: Skaters enjoy year-round public skating, hockey leagues, skating lessons, and camps on twin sheets measuring 200 x 100 feet. A pro shop, concession stands, meeting rooms and ample parking available.
Visitor Information: Facility rents skates and sleds for public sessions. Call or check website for schedule and rates on daily admission, memberships, team pricing.
Dearborn is home to one of the largest ice arenas in Michigan, the aptly named Dearborn Ice Skating Center. The 86,000+ square foot facility has two NHL regulation sized sheets of ice available for skating seven days a week. Public skating hours welcome recreational ice skaters of all ages to practice their figure skating jumps and hockey stops in a friendly, welcoming environment.
The DISC is also home ice for several hockey leagues, tournaments and competitions including the Special Hockey International program that gives children with developmental disabilities the chance to learn adaptive ice hockey. Aspiring figure skaters take group lessons then practice their skills during weekday mid-morning sessions. Families take advantage of skate rentals and concessions while spending an afternoon circling the ice hand-in-hand to pop songs.
With its two spacious rinks, heated lobby, modern amenities and convenient location, the Dearborn Ice Skating Center has been the heart of local skating for over 40 years. It’s the perfect place to escape a Michigan winter day by lacing up a favorite pair of skates.
Conclusion
Part of what makes Dearborn so special are the unique attractions literally not found anywhere else. From living history to modern diversions, Dearborn offers something to capture every visitor’s attention and imagination. Families thrill at hands-on museums like The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village that bring American innovation, history and industry to life. Visitors immerse themselves into Dearborn’s global community through Arab American culture and cuisine.
Outdoorsy types connect with nature while history buffs uncover new stories around every corner. Recent developments like The Henry Autograph Hotel and the Rouge Factory Tour reveal that Dearborn continues moving progressively into the future while preserving its storied past. Whether reliving history or making memories, Dearborn, Michigan delights visitors with its one-of-a-kind only-here experiences unlike anywhere else.