Highlights of the Alfred p Sloan Automobile Museum in Flint Michigan
TheCultural Center, the museums grew out of the desire to have a place to house collections that had once been in the custody of the Genesee County Historical Society that had been turned over to the Flint Board of Education in 1920 when the society disbanded. Sloan had been a longtime president and chairman of the board for General Motors, and was an early donor to the Cultural Center Project. When the facility was completed, it was decided to name it after him.
Sloan Museum is a family oriented facility that specializes in portraying the history of Flint, Genesee County, and automobiles. The main historical focus is on life in the 19th century, with interactive exhibits and rotating displays. As might be expected, the auto history part of the museum focuses on those cars that Sloan’s company built, with a fleet of over 80 vehicles built in Flint.
The interactive, hands-on activities allow visitors of all ages to really explore history, science, and technology. While not quite as coherently arranged as the Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington, DC, there is the same intent; pull the visitor into the era on display in an entertaining way. From the era of fur trading and lumbering, to carriage making, and ultimately the modern auto industry, the museum brings history, culture, and technology to life. Particularly entertaining are the occasional exhibits that show the tumult of the Flint area in early 20th century. The museum has also featured exhibits showing the role played by the people of Michigan in the American Civil War, which show aspects of the war that are often overlooked in displays that focus mainly on the northern and southern states and give scant attention to the contributions of the Midwest and Great Lakes in the conflict.
For the car lover, once getting past the exclusivity and definite bias toward GM cars of the exhibits, this is a fascinating visit. The Sloan Longway Buick Automotive Gallery is home to the largest collection of Buicks in the world.
Today, the Alfred P. Sloan Museum is much more than merely a bifurcated museum of history and automobiles. The Flint Cultural Center is also home to Longway Planetarium, The Whiting (a 2,000-seat performing arts facility), Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Institute of Music, and Flint Youth Theatre.
The facilities of the museum are conveniently located on East Kersey Street in Flint, not far from I-75. Many of the better hotels in Flint are not far from this area. For more information on activities and events check the museum web site athttp://www.sloanmuseum.com/.
