America’s Musical Treasure
FULL HISTORY
Matilda Rausch Dodge Wilson, visionary founder of Music Hall, was born in Walkerton, Ontario in 1883, moving with her family to Detroit at the age of 1. In 1902 she graduated from the Gorsline Business College and went to work for the Dodge Brothers, John and Horace, at their Hamtramck firm.
The professional relationship between John and Matilda developed into a personal one and in 1907, they married. In 1920, while in New York City on business, John contracted influenza and died. His brother Horace would die less than twelve months later, leaving the widows in charge of the firm. They sold it in 1925, becoming two of the wealthiest women in the country. That same year, Mrs. Dodge re-married Alfred G. Wilson, a lumber broker from Wisconsin.
MUISC HALL TIMELINE
Historic Timeline
Welcome to the Julius V. Combs
Music Hall Archive Gallery
Celebrate 90 years of Detroit's Music Hall with this free, immersive exhibit on the 5th floor. Open weekdays 10am–6pm and during shows, the gallery highlights nine decades of performers, events, and unforgettable moments.
Step off the vintage elevator into a journey through Detroit's performing arts history — explore decade-by-decade or dive into digital exhibits on dance, stage plays, or jazz. Sit in plush red velvet for a CINERAMA throwback, try the conductor's podium, or peek into a 1928 dressing room.
Where History Comes Alive
Tour of Music Hall
Since the day we opened our doors in 1928, Music Hall has been a downtown Detroit cultural icon -- changing and evolving to serve the community over nine decades.
In 2006, under the leadership of Chairman Alex L. Parrish, the Board of Trustees hired Vincent C. Paul as President and Artistic Director. A Detroit native, Vince returned home after a twenty-year show business career based in New York and traveling the world. In 2008 the global financial crisis severely impacted the funding models of Detroit arts & cultural institutions, requiring an innovative approach. Mr. Paul brought that and more, creating sustainability and leading Music Hall into a new era. A former cloakroom became the space now known as Aretha's Jazz Cafe. A raw rooftop with stunning 360 city views became the wildly popular 3Fifty Terrace, and an unsightly surface lot -- the lush garden oasis that is the Music Hall Amphitheater.
In 2024, Music Hall remains true to its roots as a 'variety house' -- presenting a wide spectrum of music, theater, and dance. If our work is hard to categorize, then we're doing our job -- offering an inclusive place of cultural community where we gather old friends and new to celebrate and share our cultural best.