McNamara Terminal Light Tunnel – Detroit, Michigan - Atlas Obscura

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McNamara Terminal Light Tunnel

Inside the Wayne County airport is an amazing collection of lights and sounds. 

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Running underground beneath the active tarmac at Detroit Airport’s McNamara Terminal, a 700- foot corridor connects Concourse A with Concourses B and C. Dubbed the Light Tunnel, this hall is lit along the entire length of its ceiling and walls with LED lights that smoothly transition through a range of colors.

Glass panels on the walls are sculpted with abstract, flowing patterns that resemble rivers and other topographic features viewed from the air. Two moving walkways on either side of the open floor provide swift transportation between the terminals.

Originally known as the Motown Music Tunnel when the lights were first installed in 2001, the corridor featured a looping 20-minute sampling of several famous Motown songs from The Temptations, Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and others.

In the years since the tunnel’s opening, the music has been switched to a softer, atmospheric track, though the original Motown tracks still play periodically. 

Know Before You Go

 

The Light Tunnel is located in the Detroit Airport's McNamara Terminal, which is physically separate from the airport's North Terminal. Shuttles connect both terminals. 


Airport guests who are uncomfortable with the lights and sounds can press a button at the bottom of the escalator on each side to pause the show for five minutes.

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May 3, 2022

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