This year, more than 25 Flint-area attractions are opening their doors as part of “Be A Tourist in Your Home Town” on Saturday, July 15. For $1, visitors can score a special badge that grants them free admission and transportation to each of the participating venues.
The itinerary includes a variety of different museums, art galleries, parks and historic sites. It also features several behind-the-scenes tours at some of the city’s most interesting buildings and facilities.
Among some of the tours that aren’t normally offered on a regular basis are:
Originally established in 1886 as the Flint Road Cart Co., Durant Dort Factory One is considered to be the birthplace of General Motors and epicenter of the global auto industry. Tours include the conference and event space along with the archive collection, which contains about 100,000 historical documents, photos and other artifacts related to Flint’s GM history. Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 303 W. Water Street, Flint
Factory Two is a new community makers space in Flint. The 14,000-square-foot facility offers a a laser cutter, wood shop, metal shop, screen printing area, electronic lab and more. Tours will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 129 N. Grand Traverse St., Flint
Built in the late 1920s, the seven-story, art deco-style building at 615 S. Saginaw St. was one home to Ferris Furs and Ferris Furniture. Spanning approximately 40,000 square feet, the Ferris Wheel is currently under construction by SkyPoint Ventures, with plans calling for a co-work space where entrepreneurs, freelancers and business owners can rent office space monthly. Get a sneak peek inside this work space. Tours available throughout the day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Last year, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan distributed 26 million pounds of food –including 9 million pounds of fresh produce – to more than 331,000 food insecure individuals last year. Assisting the Food Bank in its mission are 417 partner agencies, 8,500 volunteers and numerous feeding programs across 22 counties in Eastern Michigan. Visitors can participate in tours of the nonprofit’s Hunger Solution Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during “Be a Tourist.” 2300 Lapeer Road, Flint
Located in the former Flint Journal building, MSU’s College of Human Medicine anchors a “Health and Wellness” district in the city’s downtown. The first three floors are devoted to the medical school, located below 16 luxury loft apartments on the 3rd and 4th floors. During “Be A Tourist,” visitors can enjoy a tour of the 1st floor that focuses on the building’s history, starting in 1924 and continuing into the present day. historical background information from 1924-2017. Tour times: 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. 200 E. First St., Flint
Dedicated in 1967, The Whiting is a 2,043-seat theater that hosts the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint Youth Theatre, and a wide variety of touring musicals, dance groups, plays and guest artists from around the world. During “Be a Tourist,” visitors can take a behind-the-scenes tour of this well-known performing arts venue. Tour times: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Interested in checking these out? Register today at www.flintandgenesee.org/tourist.