Michigan Central Station Extending Tours As 100K Have Visited So Far

DETROIT — The Michigan Central Station in Detroit is extending its summer tours after hitting another visitation milestone Thursday, according to station officials.

The train station is now extending its public tours through Labor Day weekend as more than 100,000 people have visited the restored train station since June, according to station officials.

"This outpouring of support has truly been inspiring," Michigan Central CEO Joshua Sirefman said. "The Station is more than just a building; it's a symbol of the city’s strength and a catalyst for innovation, and we’re proud to welcome the community back to this iconic Detroit landmark."

The renovated train station, located in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, reopened with an all-star concert on June 6, followed by ten days of public tours. It was the first time anyone had seen inside the former train station in six years when Ford bought the building.

The station is open to the public from 5-9 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays through Aug. 31. The Station will now also be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for Labor Day weekend on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2.

The tours have averaged 3,000 visitors on Fridays and 5,000 visitors on Saturdays. The tours are self-guided and no tickets or registration is needed to enter the station.

After reopening the station in June, officials will begin a phased reactivation of the building over the next several months and years, with plans to add restaurants, retail and other commercial and community-focused partners to take up residency.

Ford spent roughly a $1 billion to renovate the iconic train station, which was abandoned in 1988. Crews had to pump roughly 3.5 billion gallons of water out of the station, which took about 18 months. Officials then used photos and pieces of the station to recreate what the station looked like in its glory years.