The culmination of years of planning, hard work, and generous contributions from dedicated donors, the highly anticipated, multi-phase, $50 million Motown Museum expansion project which will grow the museum campus to a 50,000-square-foot world-class entertainment and education tourist destination.
Following heavy rain from last month’s storms in Michigan, USA, the Motown Museum has moved up its original closure date after flooded the museum’s basement and short-circuited the elevator. Originally scheduled to close in September, the decision to close comes as the Motown Museum is getting ready to launch the second phase of its expansion plan. The first phase – Hitsville Next, a larger space for museum programming – is nearly complete.
The second phase of the expansion will involve constructing a new plaza that will stretch across the front of the new museum campus. It will include a pop-up performance space and front door of the expanded Motown Museum. The original Hitsville USA house, meanwhile, will also have some conservation completed.
Headquartered in three historic, Motown-era homes on West Grand Boulevard, Hitsville NEXT will be a creative hub for entrepreneurship and education designed to offer impactful, community-focused engagement programs in a state-of-the-art facility.
Once the full expansion is complete, it will feature:
Dynamic, Interactive Exhibits
Professional Recording Studio
An Expanded Retail Experience
State-of-the-Art Performance Theater
Smart Classrooms & Meeting Spaces
The new Motown Museum will be designed and built around the current Museum space and cherished Hitsville U.S.A. house. These historic buildings will remain untouched during and after the expansion process.
Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, commented: “It brings me real joy, and I am proud and humbled to know, that the inclusive legacy of Motown, and the most talented people who are so near and dear to my heart, will have their stories told in this new Museum.”
With new facilities, new programs and new resources coming online, Motown Museum will continue to enhance accessibility, elevate surrounding communities and cement its role as a global leader in providing education and world-class resources for budding artists and entrepreneurs. The project has received support from celebrities, artists, entrepreneurs and innovators, as well as dignitaries, civic and community leaders.