I was asked this question recently when I mentioned to someone about my husbands and my upcoming trip to Dearborn, Michigan.

What in the world is there to see?

I did not know, as I have never been. My boss had visited this summer. She knew we were going to a shooters camp nearby and encouraged us to visit The Henry Ford and The Greenfield Village in Dearborn since we were so close.

Looking through the Henry Ford Official Guidebook was intriguing and informative. This museum and Greenfield Village have a fascinating history. Henry Ford never forgot the values he learned from his youthful, rural farm life. He began collecting items from his childhood history along with items related to his hero, Thomas Edison.

His philosophy of “learning to do by doing” and providing hands-on learning opportunities for students, was the vision for The Edison Institute of Technology. So named in honor of his friend and longtime hero, Thomas Edison. Both the Museum and Village opened to the public in June 1933.

Adding collections to both places until his death in 1947 made his the largest in size and scope of American past. It is known today as the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

The front of the large museum is a replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. The perfect front for his museum that too represents American freedom and democracy.

“I’m going to start up a museum and give people a true picture of the development of the country” —Henry Ford

Boy did he! I was excited to go see in person those items I had found in the guidebook. And even though the photography is great in the book it cannot compare to seeing these collections in person.

A full day is not enough time to see and think about these items that made our country, but it is a good start. We never made it to the Greenfield Village as it is closed to public on Monday & Tuesdays.

So, what is there to do in Dearborn, Michigan? I will know how to answer that question next time around.

Seeing these bits of history that hold such stories of our America is profound.

This post cannot even touch what was in that museum. Go visit! You will be glad you did.