DETROIT (AP) 鈥� Full construction on the final phase of the Motown Museum鈥檚 expansion will get underway in the spring of 2024, the museum鈥檚 CEO announced Wednesday night.
Robin Terry also said that fundraising for the expansion has reached $59 million, 鈥渘earing our goal of $65 million.鈥�
鈥淎lthough we are not done, we will get it done,鈥� Terry, who also serves as the museum鈥檚 chair, said during a private donor event that honored Motown legends the Four Tops and The Temptations.
Otis Williams, a 60-plus-year member of The Temptations, was honored at the event. Earlier in the day, he fielded questions from a group of aspiring performers at the museum.
The historic section of the city where Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. built his music empire six decades ago has undergone a facelift in recent years with the addition of an educational programming and creative hub as well as an outdoor plaza that serves as a gathering space. The museum continues to be housed in the famed 鈥淗itsville, U.S.A鈥� building at 2648 West Grand Boulevard.
Terry, Gordy鈥檚 grand-niece, also announced two exhibits that will be coming to the museum.
One called 鈥淭he Motown Atmosphere,鈥� will be an immersive room featuring classic Motown images that showcase the record label鈥檚 family environment. The second, 鈥淭he Backstage Lounge,鈥� will allow visitors to search the Motown catalog and discover music and access interviews with Motown alumni, like Williams.
鈥淭here will never, ever be another recording company like Motown Records,鈥� he said.
Gordy launched Motown in 1959. His late sister, Esther Gordy Edwards, founded the museum in the former Hitsville headquarters in 1985. In addition to the Four Tops and The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and many others recorded hits there before Motown moved to California in 1972.
Mike Householder, The Associated Press
