Collecting Mobility at The Henry Ford: New Objects, New Stories

by VM Staff Gary Ormsby’s 1989 NHRA championship Top Fuel Dragster. Photo: The Henry FordHow does an object get added to a museum’s collection? The Henry Ford’s latest limited-engagement exhibition, Collecting Mobility: New Objects, New Stories answers that question, taking guests behind the scenes and showing how the museum continues to grow its vast collection which now includes more than 26 million artifacts.

Running through January 2, 2022, the exhibit showcases more than 30 rarely seen artifacts and tells their stories from the Dearborn, Michigan, institution’s mobility collection, ranging from the late 1800s to the 2010s.
Winged Sprint Car, Driven by Steve Kinser in the 1993 World of Outlaws Racing Season. Photo: The Henry Ford“Collecting Mobility provides a true insider’s look at the work our team does to grow our collections for both the guests of today and those in the future,” said Patricia Mooradian, president & CEO, The Henry Ford. “Our ongoing work reflects our longstanding philosophy of collecting the stories of innovation that have changed our world.”

Through the lens of recent acquisitions, Collecting Mobility details the process of selecting and adding new objects to The Henry Ford’s collection. From an insider’s look at the museum curation process to learning how new items are numbered, cataloged, and collected for programs, exhibits and more, guests will leave with a better understanding of how and why museums collect what they do.

Admission is free to members. Not a member yet? Click HERE for more info.

By becoming a member for free admission to Collecting Mobility: New Objects, New Stories, you can use your membership for a full year of free admission to the museum and village, plus free parking and exclusive savings on ticketed events.