Henry Ford, and his friend and mentor, Thomas Edison. The institution opened in
1929 as a school and was driven by Ford’s belief that the genius of the American
people was not being taught in textbooks.
Today, The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, is a national history destination with an incomparable collection documenting the American experience. This National Historic Landmark has five unique venue attractions, an on-site high school, and nationally recognized programming and signature events. The Henry Ford’s unparalleled collection and expertise furthers its position as a global resource for American history and innovation.
It is the place where the personal experiences of ordinary and extraordinary individuals are honored and shared — people like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, the Wright brothers and others.
The Henry Ford’s mission is to provide unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation with a purpose to inspire people to learn from these traditions to shape a better future. The institution’s vision is to be a nationally recognized destination and force for fueling the spirit of American innovation and inspiring a can-do culture.
The Henry Ford holds 26 million objects and documents, including such icons as Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory, Henry Ford’s Quadricycle, the world’s oldest steam engine and Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House.
Five distinct attractions at The Henry Ford captivate and inspire more than 1.5 million visitors annually.
Henry Ford Museum showcases the American ideas and innovations, technological and social, that have fired our imaginations and changed our lives. Here, visitors explore the first 40 years of flight, walk past awe-inspiring vehicles, including the presidential limousine in which John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and see an array of artifacts representing powerful change, such as the bus on which Rosa Parks took a stand for civil rights, the camp bed George Washington used during his tour of Revolutionary War sites and the chair in which Abraham Lincoln was sitting the night he was shot.
Greenfield Village visitors experience 300 years of American history through 83 authentic historic structures, four living-history farms and nationally renowned artists creating one-of-kind 19th- and 20th-century pieces in pottery, tin and glass. While it is filled with amazing authentic structures, such as the Wright brothers’ home and cycle shop from Dayton, Ohio, Henry Ford’s childhood home and Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory, Greenfield Village is also home to nationally renowned programming, including the signature Holiday Nights and the oldest car show in the country, the Old Car Festival held every September.
The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, a joint partnership between The Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company, offers visitors the opportunity to tour the rich history of the Rouge, the birthplace of the Model A, the V-8, Mustang and Thunderbird while bearing witness to the future of manufacturing through the assembly of the new F-150.
The Henry Ford IMAX® Theatre is the largest IMAX® theater in the state of Michigan, with a screen six stories high and eight stories wide.
Benson Ford Research Center holds more than 26 million documents, including the world’s largest collection of automotive and truck product literature.
The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school founded in partnership with Ford Motor Company and Wayne County public schools, which educates 485 students a year on our campus.
In 2010, The Henry Ford created and released to the public OnInnovation.com, an online, content-rich educational initiative that features the oral histories of some of the greatest innovators living today, including Steve Wozniak, Pierre Omidyar, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Lyn St. James. This interactive and inspirational resource tool for educators, students and lifelong learners, stimulates creative and imaginative thinking and promotes the development of human potential.
For more information about The Henry Ford, please visit our website, www.thehenryford.org