Hellenic Museum of Michigan weaves new diversity into Cultural Center's fabric

A new cultural resource for Midtown debuted at this year's Noel Night: the Hellenic Museum of Michigan, located at 67 E. Kirby at the former home of the Detroit Children's Museum. The building was purchased from Wayne State University for $355,000 by the Hellenic Heritage Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the continued growth and unity of the area's Greek community. The group aims to have the facility up and running by spring 2011.

A Greek museum for the area has been in the works for 20 years and, unsurprisingly, Greektown was considered as a potential location. "In latter years, Greektown has basically been overrun with different cultures, and...it is is really not what it was historically," says Ernie Zachary of Zachary and Associates, who has been involved in the project for years. "The Cultural Center has accessibility and an obvious relationship to all cultural institutions...and the positive press, the positive direction Midtown is going in turned a lot of heads."

Plans for the museum include art, historic and archeological exhibits, both permanent and rotating, that depict ancient and modern Greece as well as the story of Greek immigrants to Detroit; a gift shop and book store; a main hall that can host receptions, readings, lectures, seminars and presentations; a library and archive resource center; meeting and office space; kitchen; and cafe. "(This) is for the general population to appreciate what Greek culture is and what it has contributed to American culture," says Zachary. "We really want to cater to what people in this country need to know or want to know about Greek culture and history."

Programs to be offered at the Hellenic Museum of Michigan will include Greek language classes, symposia, a summer study-abroad program, exchange programs for American and Greek-American students to study in Greece, youth workshops, movie nights and food tastings and travel resources.

The Hellenic Heritage Society has spent $36,150 in pre-development funds and anticipates construction and programming will cost $116,250.

Source: Ernest Zachary, Hellenic Heritage Society and Zachary and Associates
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh