DEARBORN, Mich. -- One of the most striking features of the Arab American National Museum here is its architecture -- the calligraphy above the entrance, the colorful mosaics, the tiled courtyard with its dome.

That was by design.

"One thing that kept coming up all the time [in the planning stage] was the fact that this is a museum that should reflect Arab architecture," said museum director Anan Ameri.

But even more captivating is the history, the culture and the life stories of the people of Arab descent who've made America their home.

Dearborn has a sizable Arab population, and the museum is touted as the first of its kind in the world.

"We thought, we really need to have an institution to help the public understand where we come from, how long we've been in the United States ... what contributions Arab Americans have made to the United States," Dr. Ameri said.

The museum's goal, she said, is to "combat many of the misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about Arab Americans."

Toward that end the museum's ground floor features exhibits that explore ancient Arab civilizations, including contributions to art, science, mathematics, medicine, architecture and religion.

In one display case visitors learn that as early as the ninth century, Arabs had built observatories in Baghdad and Damascus, and by the 10th century, hospitals were established throughout the Arab world, including what are now Iraq and Morocco.

Opened in 2005, the museum is part of a larger organization called the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), established in 1972 to help immigrant and low-income residents of Arab descent. In 1987, the organization began developing cultural programming for Arab Americans and to educate the public.

"Through the arts we can build bridges with other groups of people," Dr. Ameri said. "Arts and music and theater is an international language."

The idea for a museum that would reflect traditional Arab architecture and yet be very modern came about around this time.

"When we started the museum, it was before Sept. 11," Dr. Ameri said. After the horrific events of that date some members worried that they would be targeted and didn't want their personal stories in the museum.

"In all fairness, we have not experienced any hostility," she said. "There's a lot of interest out there in the public to learn about Arab Americans."

The museum's second-floor exhibit is called "Coming to America" and comprises three galleries that trace the roots of Arab Americans from their countries of origin to the United States.

The first person of Arab descent to come to the United States was a Moroccan named Zammouri. He had been captured by the Portuguese and held for 16 years before arriving in Florida in 1528 as part of a Spanish expedition. Zammouri, whose name was changed to Estevancio, become an explorer who learned six Native American dialects and was a much sought-after interpreter.

Another little known fact revealed in this part of the museum is that slaves brought to America included Arab-speaking Muslims. This is not hard to believe because many Arab countries are part of northern Africa.

An interactive wall map between the ground floor and the second floor gives visitors a chance to see the 22 countries that make up the Arab world. Right at the top of the stairs to the second floor is a panel of tiles for each country. You can lift a tile to see that country light up on the map and learn a fact about it.

The Great Migration for Arab Americans was between 1880 and 1924, when more than 20 million came from places such as Syria, Lebanon and what was then Palestine.

The "Living in America" exhibit highlights how Arab Americans went about their daily lives once they arrived. Many worked in grocery stores, (there's a mock one set up in the exhibit), as peddlers and as laborers. There are dozens of artifacts from the lives of Arab-American families, including clothing, dishes, sewing machines, passports. Visitors can even take a look in an Arab-American home of the 1960s including the refrigerator to see the typical foods, such as falafel, hummus and olives.

Another second-floor exhibit is titled "Making an Impact." It includes Arab-American citizens and organizations that have made important contributions to this country in various areas including politics, science, sports, government and entertainment.

Among the names of note here: consumer advocate and sometime presidential candidate Ralph Nader, former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, singer/songwriter Paul Anka, former Senate Majority Leader John Sununu, former Indy car champion and auto dealer Bobby Rahal and legendary White House correspondent Helen Thomas.

In addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum sponsors conferences, multicultural performance series, arts programs, classes and film festivals both at the museum and at other venues.