The thumping sounds of Detroit techno are the subject of a new exhibition hosted by the Michigan State University Museum.
Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music will offer attendees “an innovative exploration of Detroit’s role as the birthplace of Techno music and its connection to Afrofuturism,” a cultural movement that explores the Black diaspora through the lens of science fiction (and made popular in recent years thanks to Marvel’s Black Panther films).
“Techno is more than music; it’s a cultural movement that captures Detroit’s resilience and creativity,” Julian Chambliss said in a statement. “This exhibition invites visitors to explore how music influences identity and inspires visions of the future.”
For the exhibition, MSU tapped Detroit techno collective Underground Resistance to create a 45-minute sound installation, paired with a video installation by Andrew Charles Edman.
“Underground Resistance has always been about pushing beyond the expected, about showing Detroit youth that technology isn’t just something that replaces jobs — it’s a tool for creating new futures,” said John Collins of Underground Resistance. “This exhibition captures that spirit of possibility, showing how Detroit’s techno pioneers turned machines into voices of hope and transformation.”
The exhibition also includes artifacts like speaker systems from Detroit’s former Club Heaven, album covers, and instruments used by techno artists like the Roland 303 and TR-808 drum machines. The space will also be modeled to resemble Detroit techno venues. (The exhibition’s graphic design even resembles old-school rave fliers.)
Auxiliary events are planned for the duration of the exhibition, including panels discussions and special DJ sets by Carl Craig, and Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale.
According to the museum, the exhibit “uncovers stories of identity, place, and community while celebrating the innovative spirit of Black Detroit.”
Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music opens from Feb. 4 through April 30 at the MSU Museum’s temporary location at 311 Abbot Rd. in downtown East Lansing. (The Museum’s main location at 409 W. Circle Dr. is closed for an 18-month renovation project launched during the summer.)
Admission is free. More information is available at museum.msu.edu.
