City living, organized crime and the "new woman": They're but a handful of hallmarks of the 1920s. And, for a metro Detroit-style view of this Great Gatsby decade, new exhibit The Roaring Twenties: From Riches to Rags, at the Lorenzo Cultural Center in Clinton Township Feb. 22-May 4, 2014, offers a perfect lens – plus some cool historic stuff and events for families to check out.
The exhibit is filled with photos, timelines, images and items capturing this pivotal "modern" era. That includes three Ford-flavored old autos: a 1921 Model T, 1931 Model A Ford Deluxe Roadster and '20s fire engine built on the T's frame. Prohibition gets its due, too, in a "speakeasy room" featuring both artifacts and info on Detroit's notorious bootlegging Purple Gang mob.
Also, scope out Art Deco fashion, women's leap into voting and the white-collar workforce, and the birth of "mass culture" (radios and movie theaters got hugely popular) – all put in context of social issues like segregation and Prohibition.
Beyond displays, there's a chance to experience some '20s pop culture. That includes a big band show by the Hotel Savarine Society Orchestra on March 15. There's also a Real to Reel film series that features 1932 flick Scarface on Feb. 27, silent 1927 film Wings on April 3, and the movie M from 1931 on May 1. Nearly 40 total events are scheduled, including a variety of presenters that may appeal more to history-buff parents. All live attractions are free, but pre-registration is required!
Other displays spotlight women in Pond's beauty ads, as well as Idlewilde – northwest Michigan's vacation resort that welcomed African-Americans before the pre-civil rights movement.
Exhibit objects and info visit the Lorenzo from local museums like the Detroit Historical Museum, Meadow Brook Hall and Gardens in Rochester and the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores
The exhibit is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Times for specific events vary; check ahead for details. Entry is free!
Find basic details about The Roaring Twenties: From Riches to Rags, the winter/spring 2014 exhibit at Lorenzo Cultural Center in Clinton Township, in the Metro Parent calendar listing.
