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Dearborn, Michigan, is a city just west of Detroit. It’s the home of Ford Motor Company and has a few great cultural attractions.
Introduction to Dearborn
Dearborn was first settled by Europeans in 1786 by French Canadian voyageurs. It was originally called La Belle Fontaine or Place aux Fontaines. Dearborn Township, named for Revolutionary War general Henry Dearborn (1751-1829), was founded in 1833.
In the early 20th century, thanks to Henry Ford (1863-1947), the city grew into a major automobile manufacturing hub. Immigrants from all over the world, primarily from Europe and later the Middle East, came for work.
Today, Dearborn is the largest city in America with an Arab majority. It also has the largest Muslim population in the United States per capita and the largest mosque in North America. Attractions include the Henry Ford, which is covered in another post, the Automotive Hall of Fame, and the Arab American National Museum.
This post is very incomplete, as my only experience in downtown Dearborn up until now is a quick drive through town, lunch, and a couple of visits to the Arab American National Museum. On a future visit to the city, I plan to spend more time there. I’ll be able to elaborate on the museum below and add more attractions.
Arab American National Museum
The Arab American National Museum opened in 2005 and is a great place to visit while in Dearborn. It was the first museum dedicated to Arab American history and culture. General admission is US$8 (as of February 2024) and the museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm. There’s free parking in the lot behind the building.
The ground floor of the museum focuses on Arab culture and contribution to society, such as science, art, mathematics, medicine, and architecture. The second floor features exhibits on the Arab American experience, with a focus on immigration and life in America. There’s also a gallery dedicated to the contributions of Arab Americans in fields such as politics, sports, business, medicine, and more. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos other than the exterior of the museum.
