18 Landmarks in Detroit You Must Visit

Sports enthusiasts, rejoice! This historical site in Detroit overlooks the city's breathtaking skyscrapers and replaced Tiger Stadium in 2000. Every seat in the baseball stadium offers an incredible view of Motor City and on-site, you'll also find six large statues that honor some of the greatest Tiger players throughout history.

In addition to being home to the Detroit Tigers, the park has a baseball museum, ferris wheel, and tons of concession stands where you can fill up on grub between innings.

Unlike several of the historical sites in Detroit, you do have to pay to experience this one. But if you're a sucker for all things automotive, it will be considered money well spent. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation boasts interesting exhibits about Henry Ford and his contributions to the automotive industry we know today. The historic museum is located in the Dearborn neighborhood and is home to Ford's (of Ford Motor Company) personal collection of memorabilia, which has been updated and added to over the past 90 years.

At the museum, visitors will also have the chance to look at the Montgomery city bus that Rosa Parks was once arrested on, President John F. Kennedy's personal limousine, and the chair that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Without a doubt, you'll leave the museum feeling as if you've doubled your knowledge of American history.

Even though it's considered quite small in size, this museum packs a whole lot of iconic music history into one space. The Motown Museum, located on Berry Gordy Jr. Boulevard, is a popular tourist destination for those who love the motown sound, which is an electric combination of pop influences, gospel, and rhythm-and-blues. It takes visitors on a journey through motown's humble beginnings by showcasing the large impact it has had on ideas and people spanning over many generations.

Visiting Detroit with children? Entrance to the museum is free for children ages 4 and under. Within the 40,000-square-foot space, you'll find a theater, interactive exhibits, and a retail store so that you can take a piece of the Motown Museum home with you.

Elvis Presley, Shirley Temple, and Frank Sinatra are just a few of the famous celebrities who have performed at this cultural landmark in Detroit. The ever-so-ornate Fox Theater opened in 1928 and quickly became the city's most celebrated concert space. Visitors can catch performances of all kinds at the theater, which seats 5,000 people. The theater also hosts behind-the-scenes tours for those looking to learn a little more about the iconic landmark. It is located near the Grand Circus Park Historic District.

One simply cannot visit Detroit without stopping at this special monument. The 26-foot-tall Spirit of Detroit statue can be found at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center and is known to be the largest bronze statue that has been created since the Renaissance. It was created by Detroit sculptor Marshall Fredericks in the 1950s and is considered the sculptural symbol of Motor City.

This historical landmark depicts General Alexander Macomb, a Detroit native and hero in the War of 1812. The unmissable bronze monument of a man in a military uniform can be found in the center of Washington Boulevard. It is roughly 9-feet-tall and was created by Adolph Alexander Weinman in 1906. On a sunny day, make your own walking tour and visit every single one of the historical monuments hidden around the city -- pack a snack and put on your most comfortable sneakers! If you're not keen on a self-guided tour, there are also tourism companies that lead walking tours around Detroit.

Located on Detroit's riverfront is a memorial that commemorates a powerful and important moment in American history. The memorial is titled "Gateway to Freedom" and shows eight enslaved individuals and a conductor, glancing across the Detroit River to Canada. Many people don't know that Detroit was the last stop for many along the harrowing journey to freedom.

Music enthusiasts are sure to enjoy a trip to the New Bethel Baptist Church on Linwood Street (also called C.L. Franklin Boulevard). What makes this church incredibly special is that in the 1950s, it had a gospel choir that included C.L. Franklin and his daughter, Aretha Franklin. C.L. Franklin was the pastor at the church until he was shot in 1979. Like his daughter, he was also known for having a phenomenal voice.

Even if you don't consider yourself to be a bookworm, you'll still enjoy a visit to the Detroit Public Library. While there are approximately 20 branches found around the city, the main library at 5201 Woodward Avenue is considered the most magnificent. Like many of the old, iconic buildings in the city, the Main Library was created in an Italian Renaissance style. This location opened decades ago in 1921 but after plenty of construction, south and north wings were added in 1963.

You'll notice sculptures and statues surrounding the library's exterior, as well as a beautiful tile mosaic above the library's Cass Avenue entrance.

Fort Wayne was built in 1842 and is best known for playing a role in many major military conflicts. The fort, found on Fort Street, spans 100 acres along the Detroit River and was completed back in 1851. It was originally constructed to defend an attack from Canada by the British Forces. For many years after, the fort served as a regional base during the Civil War and even housed prisoners of war in World War II. Some of the areas were used during the Vietnam and Korean Wars. Visitors can take a guided tour or opt to explore the landmark solo.