Roadside America: Through the Lens of John Margolies

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Roadside America: Through the Lens of John Margolies
June 20, 2015 - January 24, 2016

It’s an all-American road trip you won’t want to miss.

John Margolies has spent decades photographing the quirks and ingenuity of America’s roadside architecture. He doesn’t play favorites, whether he’s shooting a masterful Art Deco movie theater on a quiet main street or photographing an oddball-themed motel. His greatest admiration and affection are reserved for the entrepreneurial spirit of small-town America as they try to stand out in an increasingly mobile and commercialized environment.

This recently acquired collection, including a gallery experience displaying 25 framed prints of Margolies’ photographs, documents a very homespun form of architecture, design and advertising that shows humor and quirkiness. Margolies was willing to look at architecture and details that many people neither took seriously at times or even noticed. His images show an emotional resonance that tie them to fundamental aspects of American culture. The Henry Ford acknowledges and celebrates that resonance.

Quirky. Creative. Fascinating. Take a drive down the byways and back roads of America. Only at Henry Ford Museum. Limited engagement. Dates subject to change.

Your experience includes

Souvenir-Pennant Map of All 50 States
Dozens of Offbeat Motel and Hotel “Do Not Disturb” Signs from Margolies’ Collection
Immersive Slide Show of Margolies’ Roadside America
Historic Dexter Press “Natural Color” Postcards
Say Cheese! — A Larger-Than-Life Postcard Where You Can Be the Photographer
Travel Journals, Leaflets, Newspaper Snippets and More
Seasonal Roadside Refreshments

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Pricing

Admission free with Henry Ford Museum ticket

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free

Non-member
Seniors (age 62 & up) $18
Adults (age 13-61) $20
Youth (age 5-12) $15
Children 4 & under are free.

Parking is $6 per vehicle for non-members, free for members

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