Hitsville NEXT and Rocket Plaza Grand Opening at the Motown Museum

Motown Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Detroit, celebrated the grand opening of Hitsville NEXT and the Rocket Plaza along W. Grand Boulevard, west of Kipling Avenue, on Monday, Aug. 8. Hitsville NEXT is a community platform designed to further the museum’s role in nurturing the next generation with access to education and resources designed to support emerging artists and entrepreneurs. The Rocket Plaza was funded by a $5 million contribution from Rocket Cos. and the Gilbert Family Foundation. The festivities included remarks from Robin Terry, CEO of Motown Museum; legendary vocalist and songwriter William “Smokey” Robinson; and Otis Williams, the original founding member of The Temptations, who gifted microphones to the museum from his personal collection. // Photographs by Patrick Gloria