Henry Ford Museum Reception

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · 6:00–9:00 PM

Visit Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, where the stories of America’s greatest minds come to life. Sit where Rosa Parks made history, fuel your curiosity at the world’s leading automotive exhibit and explore the legacy of American innovators across history. Be inspired by the past — and imagine your own place in the future.

The Wednesday evening reception takes UIST out of the conference hotel and into one of the great collections of American invention. The museum is ours for the evening: the exhibits are open to wander, and food is served while you do it. You might want to consider downloading the THF Connect app beforehand to help you navigate the museum and learn more about the exhibits.

The restored Montgomery city bus on which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, on display at the Henry Ford Museum — The Rosa Parks bus

Race cars including a red Ford GT40 Mk IV and an open-wheel hill climb car in the museum's racing exhibit — Driven to Win

The black Lincoln presidential limousine used by John F. Kennedy, displayed under a presidential seal banner — Presidential Vehicles

A polished corrugated-metal Ford Tri-Motor airplane parked in the museum's aviation exhibit — Heroes of the Sky

When Wednesday, November 4
6:00–9:00 PM

Where Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124

Getting there Transportation provided from the conference venue and back — no car needed

Tickets One ticket included with full conference registration; guests need an extra ticket

Getting there

Transportation is provided in both directions. Shuttles will run from the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center to the museum before the reception and back to the venue afterwards, so there is no need to arrange your own ride or worry about parking. Departure times and the boarding location will be posted here and in the conference program closer to the event.

The museum is in Dearborn, roughly a 30-minute ride from downtown Detroit depending on traffic.

If you are driving yourself

The Henry Ford is a large, multi-venue campus:

Clocktower Entrance — via the circle drive from Village Road.
Welcome Center Entrance — via Village Road or Oakwood Boulevard.

Parking is on the west side of the campus off Oakwood Boulevard. See thf.org/museum-parking for maps and GPS directions.

Tickets and guests

Full conference registration includes one ticket to the Henry Ford Museum reception.
Guests need their own ticket. Additional tickets ($100 each) can be purchased when you register — see the registration rates.
Caregivers. Caregiver registration covers all conference events except this reception; you can add a ticket for your caregiver during registration. See childcare and caregivers.
Children. Registered children are welcome at the reception along with every other UIST event.

Food and drink

Food will be served at the reception, so plan to eat at the museum. If you have dietary restrictions, note them during registration so the caterers can plan for them.

What to see

The museum’s collection runs from the everyday to the improbable. Among the things you can walk up to during the reception:

The Rosa Parks bus — the actual Montgomery city bus, restored, that you can sit in.
Driving America and Driven to Win, the museum’s automotive and racing halls, with more than a century of cars and roadside Americana.
Presidential Vehicles, including the limousine that carried John F. Kennedy in Dallas.
Heroes of the Sky, where the aircrafts — among them a Ford Tri-Motor — hang overhead.
Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House (note: this will not be open during the reception) and the enormous Allegheny locomotive, both parked indoors.

Accessibility

The museum is wheelchair accessible. The Henry Ford (THF) Connect App has audio tours. If you have accessibility needs for the reception or for the trip out to Dearborn — accessible transportation, seating, quiet space — please let the accessibility chairs know as early as you can so arrangements can be made. See the accessibility page for more.