GM recently announced a new partnership with the Sloan Museum of Discovery in Flint, Michigan to support of the museum’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) exhibits and programs with a new vehicle gallery. In addition to providing learning opportunities and cultural enrichment, the new gallery will also honor GM company founder William “Billy” C. Durant.
The new Sloan Museum vehicle gallery, titled The Durant Gallery, will encompass some 11,000 square feet and house a selection of important vehicles that showcase the history and future of the automobile. The Sloan Museum itself has more than 100 rare and vintage vehicles, plus nearly 48,000 artifacts, including Durant’s first carriage model, a two-wheeled horse-drawn buggy.
William “Billy” C. Durant
For those readers who may be unaware, Billy Durant and his partner, J. Dallas Dort, founded the Durant-Dort Carriage Company after Durant acquired a two-wheeled buggy company and its patented spring suspension for $1,500 in 1886. The formation of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company eventually lead to the creation of GM.
“Billy Durant was a fearless visionary who boldly seized opportunity wherever he found it, and who changed the auto business forever,” said GM President Mark Reuss with the announcement of the recent donation. “His spirit has remained an inspiration to GM for more than a century, and lives on as we lead the global automotive industry to an exciting new era powered by electricity.”
The $500,000 donation is in addition to a $1,000,000 grant that GM provided in 2018 to support STEM educational programs in the gallery.
The Sloan Museum of Discovery is set to open to the public on Saturday, July 16th, and is located in the Flint Cultural Center in Flint, Michigan. The new Durant Gallery is set to open next month as well. The museum will also offer guests an early childhood learning gallery called Hagerman Street, Discovery Hall, a hands-on science gallery, a community history gallery, and learning labs, among other exhibits.
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Comments
It is very appropriate that Billy receives more recognition for his role in the founding and growth of General Motors. I look forward to seeing the new exhibit. Thank you, Mr. Reuss, for continuing to be in the forefront of supporting educating folks about automotive history.
Remember, Durant died a broken, frustrated man, who blindly chased after visions that proved to not be based in common sense. There is a lesson to be learned here as GM continues to pushed the electric car narrative.
Mike,
The folks pushing the electric car narrative will not die broke or broken. They’ll die fabulously wealthy. Their actions may send gm back to the taxpayers begging again but Barra and Ruess will never personally suffer for what they do. It’s the way they roll these days. It shouldn’t be but it is. Remember Barra and Ruess have been at gm their whole adult lives and Ruess’ father was a gm lifer too. They’re still standing and still being paid very, very well even though GM fell.
Ci2Eye:
Lifers in an organization become myopic. You need fresh blood on the bench for optimum performance. Ford is following this playbook. Stellantis too.
A+ Thank you GM.