Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Motown Museum in Detroit
Categories
Location on the map
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Restaurant
No
Phone: +1 313-875-2264
Site: http://www.motownmuseum.org/
Site: http://www.motownmuseum.org/
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:Closed
- Thursday:10AM–6PM
- Friday:10AM–6PM
- Saturday:10AM–6PM
- Sunday:10AM–6PM
Comments (199)
I had only seen it in movies. Seeing it in real life was an amazing experience. It was closed. We could not tour the inside.
I was SO disappointed that the Motown Museum was closed AGAIN! I have visited Detroit 3 times, and every time it has not been open! I grew up on Motown Music in East L.A., my All-Time favorite singer is Smokey Robinson, and I LOVE dancing to all my Motown singers! I hope there will be a virtual tour of the museum once it is remodeled so I can finally enjoy and relive the 60s and 70s, when Motown ruled!
It was truly a great visit. Wow took me back to my favorite movie The Temptations. I was so excited 😁. Couldnt get out the car the heat was a bit much for me. 🌹🌷💜
So much history in this place. Too much history for an hour long guided tour. Cannot explain the feelings behind walking through spaces once occupied by some of Americas favorite artists and icons
Make sure you book a reservation weeks in advance otherwise you will not be able to do the tour. The security guard on duty was so very nice & helpful. There are plenty photo ops even if you cant do the tour but we really were bummed about not being able to go inside. Wish the souvenir shop carried more trendy Motown artist trinkets & memorabilia . My children really enjoyed seeing the actually building from the Temptations movie.
Finally got to visit the first opening weekend since COVID . The tour guide was sweet and interactive , being here made me feel like I was connecting with my Grandma and gave me a chance to appreciate the true history of Motown. I was so happy my BF surprised me with this trip because I had been asking for two years. I feel my tour of Detroit is now complete .
I had the most amazing time ever. To be were Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gate and Temptation etc... once stood and sand was AMAZING 😃 I loved every minute of it. I am a New Yorker so this was a dream come true for me🙏🏾 Wait the staff there was awesome with Amazing facts that I never knew they were well informed.
Wonderful tour. Our guide was spirited, knowledgeable, and sweet. Definitely worth the price of admission. The gift shop had many interesting items, and we purchased several. If you are a true music fan, please add this to your to do list.We are looking forward to the museum addition, and will return in the near future.PS The area is very pretty now. So wonderful to see.
After all these of coming to visit my parents I FINALLY made it. Well worth the wait!!! The museum is very old but they maintain it BEAUTIFULLY. Very clean and set up nicely. The staff is friendly, welcoming and they explain everything. Our tour guide was WONDERFUL, well informed, enthusiastic, & fun!!! She had us laughing, singing & dancing with complete strangers. I suck with names but we were on the 1 p.m. tour today. She made our experience memorable. My mom isnt usually into things like this but she left happy & smiling. She was still talking about it once we got home. Cant wait to come bk with my husband on my next visit
Awesome place. I got to learn about all sorts of stuff. The tour guide was very helpful and informative. The outside looks small, but the museum is awesome and huge! 10/10. I would recommend going here asap!
Historic house/studio, although it is a little small it is packed with historic items from the motown days. Famous artists still come here to play on the piano that so many hits were created on. Definently a nice stop for an hour or so.
I liked all the exhibits and everything, but I really didn’t care for the guide who explained every single exhibit. I can read so I likely would have been able to find out whatever I wanted to know by reading the captions. I also felt a bit claustrophobic walking around in here but that may have been due to the large group I was with. I would not recommend going with a large group of people.
Such a memorable experience. Was amazing to see what a bunch of talent, heart and a dream can become with hard work. A great trip down memory lane seeing the humble beginnings of Berry Gordy evolve into the music and the stars that we know and love. Our tour guide, Tanisha, made the experience even more memorable. Ill definitely be back!
Great tour. The 16 minute video alone took me back. What memories! I learned some things, and was reminded of things. I didnt realize how well thought the business was, after being created after a single comment after Berry Gordy got a miniscule royalty payment. Studio A, where much of the magic happened was smaller than expected. Without the pictures, its hard to imagine the full groups recording there. Its the only place youre allowed to take pictures. Well worth the time.
What a gem of a place! The tour guide told of how Motown was created and what artists recorded there, and so much more. All very interesting.What was equally powerful, though, was what happens at the end of the tour that brings strangers together. Proving that there is always music that unites, even at a studio no longer used for recording, magic can still occur.
I grow up with the Motown sound and this day I decided to make this my place to obtain history. So much history shared on Barry and his family, the singers of Motown and the music, it made me want to get up and do the jerk! Guys there are pictures to take, from Smokey to well, just everyone of the Motown entertainers. I did visit the Motown store and couldnt resist buying a few items. Motown, I will be back!
Buy your tickets beforehand. Cannot stress this enough. We got lucky and got the last tickets for the day. The tour was very interesting and our tour guide was top notch. She was entertaining and made the tour more memorable. You can only take pictures in the actual studio and outside. It’s crazy to think how much history was made in this small space.
Ask anyone who grew up in Detroit have you been to the Motown Museum and you will get the answer: No. Same with me, 30 years in Detroit and never went. But heres the deal: GO. Its the best one hour $10 you ever spent. A lot of fun and interesting facts you never thought of. And even if you know all the facts and details its so cool to just be in the actual spot where it all happened.
Loved it, everyone was wearing masks and social distancing, a ice cream truck had pulled up and a guy was there with a live horse. It was really nice to just stop and take pictures.
The museum is great but I was most impressed with each and every employee I came into contact with. Tanisha was a great tour guide but I also had very good experiences in the gift shop, buying our tickets, and even with the person cleaning the restrooms. All had great pride in their museum.
Go check out music history awesome place to go Berry Gordy made Detroit alive in the 60s go check it out !!!!!!20 star rating
I was pleasantly surprised with this visit. The tour guide had so much energy and really made the tour! If you grew up with or are even slightly familiar with this music it can certainly be an emotional experience for you. A must see!!! The outside doesnt do justice. Souvenirs are very pricey though....beware!
This is a review from 2018. Jordan, the tour guide ROCKS! The museum is tiny but worth the drive and price of admission. Jordan was enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the founder and his family.Suggest stopping by if you like the music of Smokey, Michael and Marvin!Highly recommend the tour even if you have to wait a short time. Visit the gift shop while waiting.
Better than I expected. The tour lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining.You really get a feel for how it was back when Mr Gordy decided to make this happen. It was also very cool being in the original studio where most of the artists actually recorded.Well worth the visit!
Fabulous place. If you are in Detroit, don’t miss it. Wonderful guide who knew all there is to know about Motown and the superstars from Detroit.I will however miss the remodeling and expansion they are doing so that is for you to tell me about later on.
An incredible experience with tons of interesting facts about the Hitville house, the recording studio, and other Motown events. The museum consists of one big room with artifacts from the era, and a tour through the studio experience where everyone recorded and lived during that time. Well worth the experience, if youre in Detroit.
Peggy was an excellent guide and the whole experience was fascinating. A must see stop in the city of Detroit.
We loved getting to learn the history of Motown. We learned so much more then expected. The tour is more then just a tour. The tour guide really loves what she does and really knows her Motown history.
I’ve been wanting to come here all my life and after finally making it out here, it did not disappoint! The staff was very friendly with an incredible energy and enthusiasm for the significance of what happened here. Thank you to the staff for helping to make this such a great experience 😎
This is an amazing experience, stepping foot in the most historic, iconic place in the word was awesome. The world greatest artist practiced here, made records here, lived blocks away from here. Im 31 years old and stepping foot in this place is truly a trip back in time. You have got to visit this location. There is a vending machine stevie wonder purchased baby Ruths from all the time before rehearsals lol. Great experience.
Fantastic! 1st time there on their 60th anniversary. At the time of our visit there were persons from England and Australia. What a great time all 12 of us had. Jordan was our tour guide, he was a very knowledgeableb talented singer and let me warn you he drops one liners in the form of record titles. Brought back great memories of my love for the Motown sound and playing softball for Berry Gordy and his Motown Soul Sisters.
Highly recommend this on your visit to Detroit! Tons of history here. I cant wait to come back when the full museum is open
A touch of Detroits history is certainly worth the drive out of downtown. We learned so much from our enthusiastic tour guide along with gaining an appreciation of the towns musical roots. A must see if you appreciate modern day k pop, big bands, or Micheal Jackson.
It was an amazing experience. Shouldnt be missed when visiting Detroit. Especially if you are a fan of Motown songs. It surreal that you are standing inside the studio where they recorded all Motowns biggest hits.
Historical significance and the ability to see one of the most iconic music studios almost frozen in time
Wow, I just couldnt believe the incredible experience with such an affordable price. I went on a Friday and did not realize that guided tour tickets were required to view the exhibits. They were sold out for the day :( but, keeping in spirit with the amazing people of Detroit, the security guard was very pleasant and helpful with information on how to visit the museum the next day. Yet as my friend and I were starting to leave, they waved us back in and said they could squeeze in two more people! We were in! Our tour guide, although young, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. When she demonstrated the echo chamber that was built into the attic of the house, everyone in our tour group was blown away! The museum showcases a short video of the history of Motown, followed by 2 floors of history. The original apartment upstairs where the owner used to live (so midcentury!), and a section with walls and walls of photos, memoribilia, and trivia. I would have loved to spend more time looking at each photo and album cover. Unfortunately, photos and videos are strictly prohibited so I can only upload from the outside. But believe me, I had to tip the tour guide extra because I didnt think we paid enough to get into the museum! If youre in Detroit even for half a day, definitely check out this museum.
Another awesome place to visit to learn about our music history. There were a lot of great artist that recorded music there from Stevie Wonder to Temptations to Aretha Franklin and a lot more. While I was there I was thinking that its kind of cool to think that Im walking on the same floors and touched the same walls that these great music artist walked on and touched. So thats why Im giving it a 5-star all the way!
Did not get to go in (because of my own timing) but stopped to take pictures and loved hearing the music playing. I would say parking would probably be the only issue. They are next door to a funeral home and and the only parking I saw was on a busy street. Cant wait to get to actually visit.
As a music lover, it was a great experience to visit the original studio location where some of the most legendary songs were both written and recorded. Our tour guide was very informative about the history of how the record label had evolved from a dream to reality. From seeing some of the authentic memorabilia to touring and getting technical information about the actual studio. Where great artists birthed the famous Motown sound, and played that actual piano... in a garage cum studio... was incredible! I highly recommend this for those looking to explore cultural excellence! A great place to visit for all age groups. Nice gift shop collectibles too.
Amazing staff and had the chance to do the tour here which I highly recommend doing if you’d like to dive into the history while singing all the hits !
This place could be a real museum, BUT its really just a scam. Rude people, no respect. With all the true musical history that happened here, all they really focus on is making money and the politics. Actually, very sad.
Jordan was a fantastic tour guide! Made our trip very interesting and entertaining. Absolutely fascinating information for those who enjoy and appreciate music.
An hr long tour isnt nearly enough to go through HISTORY! It was wonderful being able to share the same recording studio as Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and so many others. Great seeing black entrepreneurship that excelled beyond measure. We must keep the sound alive!
Small but quaint historic landmark. Nostalgic of Hitsville era of oldies but goodies music days gone by. No photo taking allowed. Limited parking.
Awesome tour. The place is bigger than I thought. I liked being in Studio A where a lot of the popular artist recorded their music.
Beautiful piece of American and Detroit history regardless of where youre from, youll appreciate and learn so much from the tour!!! Very reasonably priced and the gift shop has amazing items for everyone!!! A definite MUST SEE in MOTOWN!!!
When I visited Detroit over a week ago, the first place I had to visit was the Motown Museum. Any music lover should make the trip you won’t regret it.
On a quick trip to Detroit, the Motown Museum was a must see as my Kindergartener loves Motown Magic on Netflix and loves all the songs. The tour is right about an hour long and it’s a guided one. There are no pictures allowed which makes sense because then folks might not come visit. The Motown story is riveting and one that we could draw inspiration from. They do allow pictures on the last stop of the tour. I’d tell you what room but how about you check it out yourself
This little place blew me away about Detroit. It’s great to see a city sharing its history. If your a Motown lover make sure to pop past and read the history. It’s a busy little area so parking can be difficult , but you can always park nearby and walk. Check it out
Is absolutely amazing. Tour guide was awesome learned a lot. Deafly a must stop and see in check it out.
The museum was life changing! I got a berry gordy book from the gift shop and there so much epic work done you have to see it to really believe it!
Bucket list item ☑️ Been wanting to come here forever and it was excellent! Just so amazing to be in the same studio where Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Isley Brothers, Supremes & others made music!! Fully guided 1.5hr tour with some singing and dancing :) Lots of things to get at the gift shop If youre a Motown fan. Theres lots of people complaining about sold out tickets - website clearly says to get them ahead of time because they do sell out. Especially on a Saturday! Glad we listened and got ours ahead of time. 100% worth the visit if youre visiting Detroit!!
Our tour guide this last Sunday at 12:30 was fantastic ! My mother and I enjoyed our trip. She had never been there at 69 and was so glad she saw the place. Ending in the studio was so cool. It was great to be in the place that recorded all of her favorite music growing up.
Cool well-curated museum showcasing the history of Motown! Docent led tours add to the experience. I was fortunate to visit for the Aretha Franklin memorial. Well worth the visit when in Detroit.
Fantastic day!!!!! What an awesome your!!!!!! They are getting ready to build a huge new building to house this fantastic museum!!!! We cant wait to see it !!!!!!
Anyone can tour a museum and read facts. It takes a special tour guide like Tanisha to bring everything to life. The museum is nothing short of iconic and mesmerizing. What are you waiting for?!
The tour was wonderful. The tour guide was knowledgeable, witty, and upbeat. Seeing Michael Jackson hat and glove, and knowing I was standing in the same spot as David Ruffin when he was recording was the highlight of the tour.
A charming museum that celebrates Motown where it all started in Berry Gordys home (did you know that he was a boxer before turning into a music mogel?) Tours are given every half hour and last an hour. The group I was in had folks from Germany, Ireland, and the U.K. The beginning of the tour includes a 15-20 minute video on the history of Motown. This is followed by going upstairs to the echo chamber. A lady from Kentucky took a shot at a Motown classic and should have been signed to a contract on the spot. There was sparse memorabilia but a hat and glove of M.J. and a Marvin Gaye jacket were cool to see. The walk through the upstairs of the Gordy home followed by Studio A were highlights. Two things to know before going: parking is on the street and no photos allowed except exterior shots and weirdly, Studio A. Your tour begins and ends in the gift shop which was ok. If in Detroit this is a must see.
Detroit showed unprecedented love for the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. In addition the warm spirit and hospitality was so great you couldnt help yourself. You just joined in a celebrated the life of a Queen. 💖💓💋
Amazing place to visit, to stand in that studio was like nothing else and I had goosebumps! The history was incredible and our guide was very knowledgable and funny. 4 stars as we did feel as though we were rushed through the space. Other then that it was perfect!
Iconic photo opp when in Detroit. Book tour tickets in advance to see the museum though. They sell out in advance!
Great experience, not expensive a must see in Michigan. Tip...reserve tickets online, they sell out fast. Its a small place. But overall happy I got to go see it.
Visiting the Motown Museum is to take a walk through American music history; this place is truly a national treasure. Must get tickets in advance for the hour-long tour and theyre available online.
An absolute wonderful time. What an awesome your!!! Our tour guide was so much fun & enthusiastic.... youll get happy feet walking down memory lane!
Great tour! Loved the opportunity to relive history -to walk the same steps, and revisit the place where legends developed the immortal music that generated true classics.
Whatever type of music gets you grooving, I can probably say it either began here or had its influence from here. This was an amazing tour. Hard to believe we were in the same rooms where the greats used to hang. Our guide, Caroline, was simply wonderful. She was full of that Motown spark, so much knowledge. I wasnt old enough to hear these great artists when they were putting that fresh new Motown sound on the airwaves, but I sure am glad my parents listened to it and taught me what classic music is all about!
Lived here my whole life, listened to Motown music my whole life. This was an amazing experience. Surreal, truthfully. Wish we had a little bit more time to look and read everything but hands down best experience as a Motown girl. ❤
Nice place to visit. Everyone should get this experience. The tour is very informative.
First time visiting Detroit and just had to come visit such a nostalgic piece of history. I happen to visit when they were paying tribute to Arethia Franklin and to see Grand Blvd filled with people from young to old just shows you how much the start of this music touched everyone. Took the tour with Jordan as our tour guide he made it so much fun and very interactive. As a music lover Mowtown museum was my favorite place I visited. Thank you Berry Gordy and your family!
A nice little journey back through time to the origins of some of the best musicians of all time.
I am so glad we visited the museum. It was very nice and informative. The old furniture took me back to growing up in my grandmothers house. The candy machine was so nostalgic. Everyone who had part in making Motown, worked very hard. All the creative ideas were so inspiring. Just knowing we were standing in the small space where Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye played this beautiful piano was breath taking to me. Im planning on bringing my daughter in the summer.
My 9 man crew was in town for our annual Mancation and we stopped by. Being raised on Motown, this was a must see. Unfortunately, we could only tak a photo outside the gate..
Great tour. Was happy to see my favorite instrument there, the hammond b3 organ. It was an awesome experience to be in the studio where great music was create by stars well before my time. Will go back again.
It was a honor to see the place where the music that paved a lot of roads for artist was made. We learned some interesting facts that we didnt know!
Amazing we had a 3p tour the tour guide was SO AWESOME It was a very moving experience
This is a must visit. The guide was very informative the place was amazing. Then driving around Detroit was a treat. It does seem like there is 2 Detroits.
Simply awesome experience! The tour guide was the best. She was informative, engaging, and certainly entertaining. As someone who grew up during this time, I really appreciated the experience.....5-stars indeed!
Absolutely brilliant!! I loved the tour back into history. It was awesome to see and walk through such a wonderful part of musical history.
Amazing historical location. Incredible to think how many hits were recorded here. Make sure you book on a tour...
I wish I could give this place an honest rate but thanks to whomever answered my call here, caused me not to get any tickets. I was trying to come here while I had a visitor from out of state. I called the # on the Motown page and some lady told me I cant order the tickets online and that I have to arrive in person and get them from the box office. I was a little thrown off because I was told they were online. She assured me they werent and to try to arrive earlier than the time of the show. I arrived 3 hours early to get tickets and they were sold out! A security guard told me I shouldve gotten them online and I could only visit the gift shop. What sucks is they close Sunday and Monday and I wasnt able to bring my guest here. They should definitely let their employees know these things before they go around giving false information. I was truly disappointed I wasnt able to get just 2 tickets especially being that this was their fault! As you can see here, they had just finished up a show and a lot of people were exiting as I arrived.
It wasnt even open when I visited, but just being outside this building where all that talent was nurtured struck me in awe.The magic is palpable.
Best tour guides on earth. Lots of history and great stories. Well worth the drive from anywhere!
The Motown Museum experience was AWESOME!! The day we initially went, the tours were sold out so I would suggest buying the tour tickets at least a day in advance. Photography inside the museum exhibits are prohibited but the tour was amazing, as was our tour guide. She was energetic, passionate, and amusing. Its a small facility which we later learned would be expanded in the coming years. Its a great experience and I would highly suggest visiting the space if in the city of Detroit.
Awesome experience although the museum was closed, we still took pics
So much history right here to see and learn! A wonderful experience!
So much Black History in one place: Music, Entrepreneurship, Civil rights and Cinema. Our tour guide was a great part of the experience as well. If youre ever in Detroit, check it out.
Awesome! Great place to visit if you are into Motown music. The tour is about an hour long and it is worth the money spent on it!
A must go museum in Detroit. I knew the basics of Motown but the combination of the actual house and a great tour guide gave us a really good feeling for what Motown really was. Standing in the studio was a really special moment. Make sure to book in advance and reserve a time
Great tour guide she was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable it was an exciting experience will definitely come back!
Great little museum full of memorabilia. Tour guides were great. Id recommend buying tickets ahead online as there are no fees and you can ensure you have a spot.
Good tour. A little cramped for me but was ok. Learned a lot about Barry and his family. Motown has been a positive source for growth and change in the black community! Listening and seeing artists I grew up with brought back a lot of memories. Its kept in really good condition. They dont let you take pictures in there til the very end. Staff are very friendly and keep you entertained!
Great experience! Make sure you book your tickets online early for Saturday because they sell out fast
Do the tour! To just walk through without the guide doesnt give it justice truly appreciate the efforts they have given to preserve the motown movement.
It was special as always. The staff was excellent as usual. We met friends there. Always great seeing my mother Louvain Demps,Jackie Hicks and Marlene Barrows ( THE ANDANTES) pic still hanging in Motown! They sang on more records than most people know. They were the secret weapon Motown!
I was on a Road Trip in 2006 and by complete chance we connected with Martha Reeves and she took us to Hitsville, USA for a tour of the legendary Motown Studio aka The Snake Pit. Then we were invited to a Motown alumni event at Berts on Broadway where I met members of Smokey Robinsons Miracles, the Contours and many more cool people. I was reminiscing about the trip recently and decided to share some photos here.
The best place to be. You cannot believe that all the geat music is recorded here. And the guide told from her hard.
A little cheesy at times, but most of these museums are. Its a one hour guided tour. Reservations recommended. Great history and memorabilia. Worth the money. Glad I went.
A place that all musicians should visit. Feels like home
Nice place to visit, tour guide was really good, she had a good personality.
I went to Motown Mic, spoken word and being surrounded by soo many pictures of artist that I grew up listening to was priceless, heard some songs that I havent heard in awhile, the staff is friendly and the whole atmosphere was beautiful.
Not much to look at aesthetically but to think of the history and the legends that walked in and out and around there just AWESOME!!
Nice Museum so informative. Gives you a new appreciation of the Motown sound and how it all started .
FANTASTIC! Our tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about the artists and history of how Motown came to be. Ticket prices are very reasonable as well. A must-see for any music fan!
My boyfriend and I drove from Cincinnati, Ohio to visit here and it wasnt worth the drive nor $15 pp. They sit you in a room to watch a 15 min video and although the tour guide was pretty good, all the job require is for you to remember the movie and a little history. The tour was short. 2 stars because the tour guide was nice.
OMG what a great place! Staff was knowledgeable and fun in telling us about the history of this wonderful museum. I felt privileged to have been in the same place legends were made!
Its amazing to walk through a place where so much history has been created. All of the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Overall incredible experience!
This is a must see experience for music lovers! Great learning about my favorite artists and the genius behind it all.
Great tour! Interesting place. Lots of great music history! So glad we went!
Dreams do come true! It was an honor to walk these halls. The artist and music that started here not only changed the world, the Love that they all shared, inspires and continues to transforms lives. God bless this place, and those who gave us these wonderful recordings.Special thanks 2 u:Everyone, on staff, during our visit, were friendly and very knowledgeable. Kudos and thanks for your hospitality, while my Daughter and i visited Hitsville USA, Ill b back, if only in my memories. ✌️♥️
Get your tickets early online and be mindful of the hours of operation. There is a small gift shop outside the premise with several items to choose from for your memory of your visit! Prices are high with key chains costing around $8.00 and coffee cups around $15.00. Pictures and conversations with fellow travelers are free to enjoy!
Absolutely worth the tour. So many memories brought back to life. I didnt want to leave. At the end, our group sang and danced to MY GIRL 💕
Was unable to do the tour because its sold out. I will buy tickets when I know I am visiting.
Had a great time and loved the memorabilia, tour guide was lots of fun!
A great place of Detroit and American music history, tour is very informative and gives the general overview of Motowns story. A must visit if youre visiting the city or if youre from the area and havent been
I found that its closed until 2022 , but its still free to take pictures outside.I happened to decide to visit Detroit this Labour Day Weekend.I remembered that this building is a historical part of American culture ,not just black American culture,so I had to check it out.A guy who grew up in that era 1950s to 1970s had first warned me about it not being open ,as well as the museum. It was confirmed on the website. I made it there on Labour Day after 5pm. My hosting lady friend was happy to take pictures of me there. Shes from Detroit, but she hadnt been there herself.Its still work taking photos there which I saw at least two couples and one family do.There are also two plaques commemorating the 50th year of Marvin Gayes song Whats Going On, with explanation of the creation of the song.Marvin Gaye was of course a famous singer who was in that Motown studio.
We enjoyed the tour first time visiting here in town for family reunion
I came all the way from Nigeria and it was a knowledgeable experience. I cant remember my tour guides name but he was funny and had answers to all our questions.
Tour guide was excellent, the tour was nice. Would have liked to have seen more of Berry Gordys apartment though.
MAKE SURE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME!! Pretty interesting place to go to though! Have fun!
One of the best museum. You need almost 2 hours to completely see everything. Everything is so well organized. You would love spending your time in the motown museum. Staff is so nice and great. Its wonderful place to see all aspect of leading music industry.
We didnt get to visit the interior of the museum. Another trip. Parking is an issue.
It was nice. Just wish we couldve seen more exhibits.
What more can I say about Mowtown heaven. Just full of history and you can feel the greats presence in the infamous Studio A. Hard to believe it use to be Gordys garage.
A delightful experience! Our guide was both informative and engaging.Thank you, Jania! 💜Looking forward to coming back in May when tours resume, to see the expansion.
Cmon. Its Motown. Not enough stars will do. Go. Just go.
MOTOWN RECORDS WAS FABULOUS AND I WILL BE GOING AGAIN. BY THE WAY MY LADY TOOK A PICTURE OF MICHAEL JACKSON HAT AND GLOVE ON THE DOWN LOW LOL.
I had a good time today at Motown with my baby brother we enjoyed ourselves we have fun I hope Barry Gordy, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, and all the legend come back and make some more new music we need some love in this world an arrest of the people who lived here made Motown great its time to come home you have work to do only professionals like you can do it. I hope they come back building a new Motown recording studio in Detroit and produce new music here find new stars here and Detroit people are very talented and pass the torch play music and sing and make Motown great again thank you it was very wonderful to spend the day with my brother at Motown
If you love music, especially Motown kind of music. If you grew up listening to Stevie Wonder or Jackson 5, come and be awed in this museum.
One of the coolest places I visited the entire time.
As a first time visitor, it brought back old memories of yesterday years of growing up in the 60s and 70s... When music had a real meaning to me. I enjoyed the visit.
Loved the guided tour. Lots of interesting things to see. I totally enjoyed the tour and it was well worth the money.
I would recommend that you wait until the mask restrictions is lifted. Great points small group ,you can take pictures, (no video)and the display are colorful with lots of information. The bad you cant hear the tour guide , the music is loud, and the gift shop is super expensive. Definitely a must for Detroit who never saw this city in its prime.
A great place to visit if you are ever in the D. We had a good time there, learned a lot. Check the times of operation before you go
A must see if your in Detroit! Tour guide was excellent! Learned so much about Barry Gordy and Motown. No parking structure is the only drawback.
Its a guided tour so you get a lot of information along with the cool exhibits. And its a great value for only $10.
Didnt get the tour because they were closed but love motown music it was excited just to visit where it originated.
The tour guide Monet Heath spoke very well and guided us through the tour with ease and fun! Had a really great experience from check-in, the tour to the gift shop. Very pleasant employees all around, including security!!!
How cool can you get?! Learn about the history of the Motown Legends with humble beginnings from this $800 house to purchasing many more on the same block as they built their empire. Theres the jeweled glove that Michael Jackson moonwalked in on a Motown tour that he donated along with his hat, there are photos, costumes, stories and gold records from Motown artists, there is an untouched apartment as Berry Gordy Jr lived in it before he moved away and the crown jewel of course is the studio where so many hits were recorded and important meetings took place we had a great tour guide and a lot of fun.
We were unable to see the museum due to it being sold out for the weekend. The gift shop was the only thing we saw. I was unable to take any pictures inside and I think that was unreasonable, considering that is a more part of music history for me. I wanted to take pictures of the wall and security was on my behind, it was ridiculous. As much as my family has contributed to Motown over the years you would think we could take a picture of the wall.
Small museum but packed with history. The walk through the front office into the studio sent chills up my spine as it is a literal step back in time.Affordable entry and gift shop as well. A really great piece of history for the casual and die hard Motown fan. Great fun.
Great place to go if you love real music. People from all over come to share the soul of music... No picures I side though 😞...amazing wall art work worth taking a pic
I love the atmosphere. Great memorabilia. Vacation with dad and hubby.
Wonderful experience being in such a historical place!
This place is something you HAVE to do if you visit Detroit. Save yourself the trouble and order your tickets online. Try to go early so you can easily find a space to park. Theres no parking lot. You have to park on the street. The gift shop is expensive. I wanted to buy something but Im such a cheapskate and I couldnt even justify the cost of the refrigerator magnet.UPDATE: However I would be willing to pay for a video of me & my froends doing karoke to the hits.Adored our tour guide she was friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Being in the same place where the Temptations and Martha and the Vandellas stood and sang was EVERYTHING! I learned a lot and I got excited about being in Motor City. Ive always thought it should be a public policy that every public building in Detroit should pipe in Motown music exclusively! Theres so many hits. The tour is totally worth the ticket price and I plan to go again with my sisters (my background singers) so we can perform !
I took my parents for my moms birthday. We were concerned with the spike in covid cases if it was a good idea, but they really took it seriously. They took temps at the door, kept groups small, and had markers on the floor so you could distance from non-family members in your group. Our tour guide was amazing and was passionate about the museum. Highly recommend going if you havent already.
I did not purchase tickets online and tour was sold out on a Friday at 5pm. Id say purchase tickets online in advance. Can take pictures outside tho
Great experience! Tour guide very knowledgeable. Fun and interesting facts. Best part, definitely Studio A. I plan on coming back next year after renovations.
Great place to visit, makes me wish i was in the city when motown was growing roots. Wonderful team onsite tonight for a private event, very helpful and knowledgeable. Cant wait for the next time i have the opportunity to enjoy the historic location.
Been here all my life first time ever going inside..Used to come up here when I was a kid stand across the street and watch the Stars..Back in the late 60s in the early 70s..Great memories!!
This is a must stop if youre in Detroit if you have any interest in music the tour is so worth it it was amazing and fun would definitely go again
What a nice tour!! Our tour guide was informative and very pleasant. Well worth $15/person. Their building a stage in back, should be finished in a few months so well come back again. Real part of everyones past since so many great singers and music came out of there.
Great time - been wanting to visit since 1985 opening. In 85 I lived 30 minutes away, now a 2 hour trip. And, worth every mile! Filled with Motown history. Isabel, our tour guide, was wonderful! Looking forward to another visit once expansion is finished.
Hitsville was Awesome so much History to Learn about Motown a must see
Didnt buy advance tickets so couldnt get in. Place looks great. Detroit is not so great. We shed tears looking at the neighborhoods.
Pretty cool to be able to stand in the recording studio that so many artists used to record their Motown hits
Great experience and peggy was an amazing tour guide!
They have work to make the experience have safe social distancing. Great story and cool museum!
Out of state visitor, I thought this was a great pop culture historical museum! I would recommend it to everyone.
My 1st visit here....one word: AWESOME! Our tour guide was great, explaining in detail the Motown history and humble beginnings....a must see for any music fan and historic museum buff. Lots to see and will definitely go again.
Absolutely great spot to spend an hour to go on a tour to see where the start of a genre of music. Docking a star since no photography is allowed inside.
The Motown Museum is mostly done outside right now with post of info along the street in front. There is a tour guide that can explain things along the way. The gift shop is open for memorabilia. There is street parking only, and it can be difficult to find.
One of the best musicall tours Ive been on on a very long time
Awesome experience. The tour guide was amazing
Surprised my mom and daughter with a visit to Hitsville, and is was so amazing. Our tour guide Rosemarie was exceptional. She was nice, friendly and had a beautiful voice. Thank you all for a wonderful experience.
Our tour guide Jordan was great, what a helluva Mo Town historian and he actually can sing too.✊🏾❤🖤💚🎶
Do yourself a favor and visit this museum if you are anywhere near Detroit. The museum is housed in the buildings that were the birthplace of Motown and the curators have done an excellent job of documenting and displaying the origins of the movement snd its impact on American music. Really an excellent experience particularly if you grew up in the 60s and 70s. It gets 4 and one half clams on the coveted 5 Quahaug rating scale.
I have dreamed of going here all my life so now Im 63 and finally here
A trip to Detroit isnt complete without a stop at the Motown Museum. The tours are excellent and bring you back to Motowns unparalleled 60s and 70s music.
The museum was excellent. I had a great time! The tour guide did a great job sharing history and little known facts about the company and its artists. I would suggest getting tickets online to avoid getting to the museum where tours may be sold out. That will save you a lot of time and will ensure that you get the tour you want. Enjoy the history and music!
Enjoyed every moment of it. Loved hearing how Berry Gordy got his start and how his family determines who receives assistance and who doesnt.Our tour guide was knowledgeable and ENGAGING!
What can say? The feeling of standing where all of the greats played, and where music was changed forever. Such an amazing tour, so informative and stunning. If youre traveling around our awesome city, you NEED to make time to stand in the hallowed halls of Hitsville!
Definitely worth stopping to see this historic location.
Love, love, love!! Its a quick tour but worth it. The history is amazing and its fun to sing and dance with the tour guides.
It was a nice visit, the tour guide was really living it. I would have liked a bit more freedom during that tour. We stopped by pictures, articles, and other items for quite a while and the actual exhibits like an old couch or a kitchen table were only visible to the visitor while passing them rather quickly. It is a very guided tour which is not m favorite type of visiting a museum.
The guided tour will walk you through the history of Berry Gordy and Motown music. Our tour guide shared stories that made the history come alive. At the end of the tour, youll get to stand in the very same room where all the Motown music made in Detroit was recorded. Do check it out!
Awesome tour of a fantastic historical site. So much cool stuff to see and learn about.
Very interesting to learn how it started. Yvonne our tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and made it enjoyable. I would have liked to hear more about the young artists Mr. Gordy, Jr. found and see some of the costumes. Im so glad I went
Love bringing friends and family from out of town to this Museum. Well worth the admission.
The guided tour is worth every penny. Fabulous stories and behind the scenes info.
Our tour guide was fantastic. Very knowledgeable, funny and entertaining. Some of the rooms have (more or less) stayed the same since 1972. A memorable time in the birthplace of the Motown sound!I loved my time and would do it again in a heartbeat. A few things: I do wish the gift shop was bigger or had a larger selection of items, namely music. The waiting area is small. Tours sell-out quickly, so be sure to book in advance online if you can. The tour itself seemed to go by so quickly... Its really just the 2 homes so it makes sense, but it would be nice to have even more time to soak-in the atmosphere or read-up on more of the history via the various placards there.
Loved it. Best to book your tour online, tickets sell out fast. We have to go back since the tour for Sat. was sold out. The gift store is amazing, right when you 1st walk in, the tour starts on the other side of the wall, it is such a small beautiful house. Stand on the porch and look out over the neighborhood and just let your mind go back in time, CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE?!?!??✌💜✌💜✌💜✌💜🏡🎶🎵
It was so great to see where all the magic happened at Motown! We were in Detroit for holidays with our family. It was winter and this was a great place to stay out of the cold.Our tour guide was awesome- we loved her. A loooot if information not as much to look at on the tour other than photos. The highlight was definitely getting to sing and hang in Studio A. Can’t wait to see what the renovations will bring to the museum!
Hot outside but had a gift shop out there.
This is a wonderful place; full of history and fun vibes of a great era in music. The Motown sound is still an important part of Detroits heart. Brought my out-of-state niece and we had a great time; learned a lot and enjoyed it immensely. The tour guide was knowledgeable and nice, and she had a beautiful singing voice too. I only wish wed had the time to stay longer and savor it more. Maybe next time.
Timeless History That Will Never Die Plus Bass Day
I visited here in the 1990s? from England when I was visiting my American pen pal Barb & I loved it! Id always wanted to visit but never thought Id get the chance, a dream come true to see where it all started & stand in the places where all the Motown greats stood & performed their musical magic. An iconic building with amazing history. Been there, got the T-shirt! FANTASTIC.
Its only possible to visit on a guided tour, which lasts about an hour. Its not possible to go in and wander around yourself. Thats because its actually in what was, once upon a time, a house, and there really isnt enough space for self-guided tours.I loved the tour, and our tour guide was lots of fun. You will learn a lot about Motown, and even if you already know quite a bit, it is still worthwhile to be in this music factory which for so many years produced dozens of hits.
I would definitely recommend to get tickets beforehand. We showed up one day expecting there to be tickets available at the door and all tours were sold out. Bought tickets for the next day and really enjoyed our tour. Our tour guide wad very informative and entertaining. He answered all of our questions and went above and beyond.
I so enjoyed all the history had a really good time so many memories. I will visit it again. You could feed the energy in that place and the songs and what the singers stood for was amazing. Very inexpensive and if you go please order tickets online because they were sold out b4 noon but you can visit the gift shop.
Total reviews rating 4.7
199 Reviews for Motown Museum 2023:
Review №1
2022-02-01So! My Husband and I went to Detroit in July of 2021 for our 20th Year Wedding Anniversary And to my surprise woke up on the day that I was supposed to go to the museum and it had been shut down due to a flooding no one ever emailed us or warned us of this tragedy! No one ever responded to our calls we even went up to the museum there were people walking around but nobody ever responded to our needs,I was ver disappointed because this is one of the places I wanted to go and it was a surprise from my Husband! We Have Still NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE MUSEUM STAFF ARE BEEN REFUNDED OUR MONEY! We Flew in From Texas and Would like to be Reimbursed or Even Acknowledged!!!! I’ll See if This Review Gets Any Response!!!!
Review №2
2022-05-20Such a fantastic experience learning about the history of Motown through the tour! Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. This spot cant be missed if youre a music lover like me!
Review №3
2021-11-16**Please Note** this museum is not currently operating, it has begun renovations and for some reason the Google listing does not reflect this. **Edit: they’ve changed it to temporarily closed after I brought it to their attention. Cool. There is fencing around the museum (not shown in picture as I wanted a shot of the building and pushed my phone into the fence) and I had already gotten a ride there before realizing it is not operating tours until next year according to the sign on the door.
Review №4
2021-08-18An excellent experience is to visit Hitsville USA and hopefully they youll catch a good band playing while youre there. I dont know the bands name - but they showed up and showed out. I really enjoyed them, the audience started dancing on the lawn there were food/ice cream vendors available on-site. In addition, the Motown Souvenir tent had a variety of t-shirts, CDs, Keychains, jewelry and a large selection of other items to choose from. This was my highlight event while visiting Detroit.
Review №5
2022-03-31Have visited this museum more than a dozen times. The tours are top notch. An incredible part of history. So much to learn!! Standing in the spaces occupied by countless artists is a great experience.
Review №6
2022-05-18The museum was being renovated so we couldnt tour inside. Nonetheless, we took some cool pictures outside.
Review №7
2021-07-31Im sure it would have been awesome but was closed due to flooding. Still cool to walk the front porch and just stand around the yard where legends once stood. I will go back again.
Review №8
2021-10-12The museum was closed for remodeling but I wanted to take pictures of the outside anyway. Can to see the changes spring of 2022.
Review №9
2021-08-13I didnt get to go in the museum, but just being there where major iconic influences of a life time got to make life changing music, was beyond amazing. Listening to stories my husband would tell me about growing up in Detroit, sitting outside the studio and hearing groups/singers making music, was perfect experience.
Review №10
2021-06-10The staff is so nice. I was born & raised in the area but this was my 1st time touring. Its quite impressive what Mr. Gordy accomplished dating back to the 60s. I learned about his parents, entrepreneurship, the artists, motown process, land acquisition & what music has/can do for the soul. I loved getting to dance a little & sing in studio A. So many people from different backgrounds worked to make the Motown sound a success. There are stairs but quite a few elevators. Love the sanitizing stations throughout. The tour is about 1 hour. Tickets are limited so purchase online early.