MotorCities National Heritage Area to Host the 9th World Forum for Motor Museums

DETROIT, April 26 -- MotorCities National Heritage Area announced today that the City of Detroit has been selected to host the 2005 World Forum for Motor Museums. The forum, representing over 1,400 executives and staff members from automotive heritage sites in more than 50 countries, will be held on October 9-14, 2005. Detroit joins the growing roster of locations for the biennial conference; in past years host cities have included Adelaide, Australia; Paris, France and Stuttgart, Germany.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase Detroit and our rich automotive history," said Mark Pischea, executive director of MotorCities National Heritage Area. "There are dozens of area automotive sites that represent the evolution of the auto industry -- from its conception to its present state and beyond -- that we are excited to showcase to auto heritage enthusiasts from around the world."

Themed "Motor Museums Today: Preserving the Past and Adapting to a Changing World," the conference will bring together people who work in auto museums worldwide to discuss auto heritage issues and tour area automotive sites. During the six-day conference, delegates will visit more than a dozen auto-related museums and historic sites in the Detroit area such as the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, The Henry Ford, Ford Rouge Center, and several General Motors sites.

Specific topics to be discussed include the changing nature of the audience for motor museums, private and public partnerships and auto museums as educational partners.

The conference will be headquartered at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, which is also the location of the General Motors global headquarters.

The event will conclude on October 13, 2005 with the first-ever Detroit Auto Pioneers Dinner, honoring the descendents of Detroit's early auto pioneers. The dinner will be uniquely memorable for the delegates as they will have the opportunity to interact with the descendents of those individuals who shaped today's auto industry.

About MotorCities

Designated by the U.S. Congress in 1998 as an Affiliate of the National Park Service, MotorCities helps citizens appreciate how the automobile changed Michigan, the nation and the world. MotorCities strives to make Michigan's rich automotive heritage a source of pride for communities and a positive influence on the region's future. In addition to promoting tourist attractions like the Dream Cruise, MotorCities also provides educational material and funds revitalization projects, helping residents and visitors alike Experience Everything Automotive. For more information, please visit http://www.experienceeverythingautomotive.org/ .