DETROIT — Detroit’s revitalization has a brand new – and at the same time, very old – architectural gem that’s a must-see for visitors.

For decades Michigan Central Station was derelict, left empty and untended amid Detroit’s challenges.

Originally opened in 1913, the station was the gateway to Detroit. After it closed in 1988, it became a symbol of Detroit’s financial decline and disinvestment. And then in 2018, Ford Motor Company acquired the property and everything changed for the better.

More than 3,000 tradespeople spent the next six years meticulously restoring Michigan Central Station to its original Beaux Arts glory, and in June 2024, for the first time in 36 years, the station opened its doors to the public.

Summer at The Station (photo credit Stephanie Rhoades Hume for Michigan Central)

It was the next step in making Michigan Central an iconic, anchor institution that offers inspiring experiences, programs and spaces for Detroit and the world.

While U.S. automakers GM and Chrysler were both instrumental in shaping Detroit’s ‘Motor City’ destiny, few car makers are more associated with Detroit than Ford, incorporated here in 1903.

Ford is now headquartered in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, and that’s also where visitors will find the wonderful Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

It was Henry Ford’s great-grandson, and current executive chair of the Ford Motor Company, Bill Ford Jr., who envisioned a new life for the iconic Michigan Central Station as the centrepiece of a one-of-kind mobility innovation hub, Michigan Central.

Officially, Michigan Central is a 30-acre innovation ecosystem that serves as a convening place and real-world test bed to build urban transportation solutions that advance a more sustainable, equitable future. It’s home to more than 80 startups, and serves as a cultural district and innovation community for innovators, designers and entrepreneurs.

Tasty treats at Yellow Light in The Station (photo credit Stephanie Rhoades Hume for Michigan Central)

Google is anchoring Michigan Central’s mobility innovation work. In one of the most recent developments, in April 2023 the vacant former Book Depository building reopened as the home of Newlab at Michigan Central, housing entrepreneurs and inventors

focused on the development of new sustainable and equitable solutions to mobility challenges.

As Visit Detroit notes, “Detroit is quickly becoming a major player in the tech and innovation space. Long recognized as the birthplace of the auto industry, Detroit is undergoing a bold transformation – quietly emerging as one of the most dynamic tech hubs in the country. With major investments from Ford, Google, and Amazon, and a fast-growing ecosystem of startups focused on mobility, AI, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, Detroit is defining the future of industrial tech.”

The key takeaway for travellers? While all this important futuristic tech work is happening at Michigan Central, visitors can tour The Station with expert guides.

The 90-minute journey takes visitors through the ground floor to experience The Station’s historic restoration and transformation from shuttered train depot to the centrepiece of Michigan Central’s 30-acre tech and cultural hub.

Designed by the same architectural firms behind New York’s famed Grand Central, Michigan Central Station was considered to be one of the grandest depots in the United States. Now visitors can check out the US$1 billion renovation for themselves.

Guided tours designed for groups can be booked for up to 25 people. Individuals, families and small groups can reserve spots on guided, public tours. Space is limited and advance bookings are recommended.

Other tourism-related offerings on site include a visitor centre as well as shopping spaces such as Neighbor x Folk, Yellow Light Coffee & Donuts, and Michigan Central’s official store, The Shop.

Within The Shop, there are two new popups: Peoples Records and Source Booksellers, two iconic Detroit retailers.

Michigan Central also hosts several events, including a monthly series called Fridays at The Station, a music-filled evening celebration.

“What’s happening in Detroit isn’t just a revival – it’s a blueprint for the next generation of urban innovation,” says Visit Detroit. “The city isn’t trying to copy Silicon Valley. It’s building something different: a tech ecosystem grounded in real-world application, community-driven growth, and inclusive innovation.”

For more details on guided tours of The Station, click here. For more information about travel to Detroit click here.

Newlab at Detroitʻs Michigan Central (photo credit Jason Keen)