The Henry Ford dives into the rich history of the American diner and its leading expert, Richard (Dick) Gutman with its new exhibition, Dick Gutman, DINERMAN, opening May 25 in the new Collections Gallery located in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. No one has been more immersed in the origins, designs and operations of diners in America than Dick Gutman.
In 2019, The Henry Ford acquired Gutman’s collection of diner materials, the largest of its kind in the country. Portions of that collection—which ranges from the 1870s to the 1990s—will be on display for the first time in DINERMAN, including memorabilia, scale models, and furniture. The exhibit showcases the history of diner architecture and design in the United States and honors the preservation that keeps diners relevant today.
Gutman’s fascination with these informal restaurants began while he was studying architecture at Cornell University in the late-1960s. He has contributed to virtually every published media piece on diners and was instrumental in the move and restoration of The Henry Ford’s own Lamy’s Diner and the reconstruction of the Owl Night Lunch Wagon, the last surviving lunch wagon in existence, located in Greenfield Village.
Dick Gutman, DINERMAN, is free for members and included with admission to Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. For more information, visit thf.org.
