Detroit Historical Museum opens new Detroit Lions exhibit

The football season is just around the corner, and this upcoming art exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum promises to get Detroit Lions fans even more excited.

On Saturday, Aug. 24, the same day as the first Lions home game of the 2024-25 season, the museum will debut Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes , an exhibit celebrating the Lions’ championship seasons of the 1930s and 1950s, as well as memorable moments from recent years.

“We couldn’t be prouder than to have the Lions’ team history highlighted at the Detroit Historical Museum as we launch the 2024-2025 season,” Emily Griffin, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Brand for the Detroit Lions, said in a press release. “There’s something remarkable to uncover in every era and it was a lot of fun to pour through our archives looking for artifacts to share. We hope the fans will have just as much fun discovering them as we did.”

The museum’s new permanent exhibition space, the City of Champions Gallery, will be filled with Lions memorabilia, thanks to a partnership between the Detroit Historical Society, the Detroit Lions, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Among the artifacts on display are trophies from the 1930s and 1950s, historic uniforms, a showcase of every Lions Hall of Fame player, and rare items from the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Lions’ archives.

The exhibit also features the Lions’ 2024-2025 Game Day Uniforms.

In Legends Plaza, visitors can measure their hands against the handprints of Lions greats Barry Sanders and Lomas Brown. Plus, a special pop-up display highlights the 2024 NFL Draft held in Detroit, with artifacts including a large “DET” sign signed by thousands of locals and visitors from the record-breaking crowd.

This part of the exhibit was made possible through the Gilbert Family Foundation and Visit Detroit.

“The Draft was a moment of pride for the whole city of Detroit,” Chris Moyer, Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs for Visit Detroit, said. “Visit Detroit was pleased to play a part in bringing it back to life in a small way at the Detroit Historical Museum.”

The public opening of the exhibit on Aug. 24 will feature family-friendly activities including NFL Draft coloring pages, a selection of unique vintage Detroit Lions merchandise, and more.

More information is available at detroithistorical.org .