Founded in 1939, the Royal Oak Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization managed by a curator and a team of volunteers. We collect, preserve and make available information and objects that reflect Royal Oak’s past for current and future generations.

Our mission is to promote understanding of Royal Oak’s historical and cultural legacy through the preservation and interpretation of its ongoing story. We collect, preserve, interpret, exhibit, and teach the heritage of Royal Oak through the care and management of our collections.

To accomplish this, we host several fundraising events throughout the year, including our annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast at the Farmers Market. This popular community event is sandwiched around the city’s Memorial Day Parade and enjoyed by families and individuals alike, who “make it a day” in our wonderful downtown.

In August, we host a car show, where hundreds gather to admire muscle cars that once cruised Woodward Avenue and classic autos from days past. In October, we hold our annual membership dinner, where we celebrate our successes over the past year and honor those who have dedicated themselves to preserving our history and teaching others about our past.

This year, we have also been celebrating centennial homes in our community by providing authentic certificates to homeowners of houses that are 100 years old or more. Furthermore, homeowners of centennial homes, as well as others who visit the museum can research their home and discover any permits issued for any home improvements made on the house since it was built. See more information about this on page 16.


Join Us!

The Royal Oak Historical Society invites you to become a member and support our efforts in historical preservation. As a member, you will have access to exclusive events, newsletters and special exhibits. Your membership helps us to maintain our collections and provide educational resources to the community. We welcome individuals, families and organizations to join us in our commitment to history. Together, we can make a difference in preserving our legacy.

The society is also committed to ensuring that a significant portion of contributions directly supports our philanthropic initiatives through The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.


Please visit and support the Royal Oak Historical Museum at 1411 W. Webster Road in Royal Oak. For more information visit royaloakhistoricalsociety.com or call (248) 439-1501. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.