RoboCop statue to make Michigan Science Center home

RoboCop is reporting for duty at the Michigan Science Center in Detroit.

The 10-foot bronze statue of the eponymous cyborg hero cop in the 1987 sci-fi flick will be installed at the science center, organizers said Wednesday in a statement. A date for the installation will be announced later this spring.

"RoboBackers, the day you thought would never come is now bearing down upon us," the group said. "Through your contributions and faith, and through the hard work of many in Detroit and elsewhere, the RoboCop statue has found a home at the Michigan Science Center in Detroit’s Midtown Cultural Center Historic District."

Initially, organizers planned to install the statue at Wayne State University's TechTown urban research and technology business park. There were even rumors RoboCop would have a beat on the city's east riverfront.

The statue, sanctioned by the MGM movie studio, is a replica of the original suit actor Peter Weller wore when he brought the of RoboCop/Alex Murphy to life.

In the movie, a Detroit police officer is murdered in 2028 and resurrected as a cyborg to combat growing crime in the city. The movie spawned two sequels, a television series and a children's cartoon show. The first film was remade in 2014. 

Organizers announced in September the statue would debut this spring.

"Detroit is an amazing city," the group said. "We hope that this statue introduces more of you to it, and we hope that by being at the Science Center it helps inspire more people and more youth to get involved in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). And, frankly, to mix STEM skills with right-brained creativity." 

The movement to erect a RoboCop statue began in 2011 on social network sites.

A man pitched the idea to then-Detroit Mayor Dave Bing through Twitter.

“@mayordavebing Philadelphia has a statue of Rocky & Robocop would kick Rocky’s butt. He’s a GREAT ambassador for Detroit.”

A Kickstarter campaign was launched and raised more than $67,000 to fund the effort.

The group turned to renowned art conservator Giorgio Gikas and his company, Venus Bronze Works Inc., in Detroit. He and his company refurbished the Spirit of Detroit statue, removed a splatter of white paint from the Joe Louis fist and restored bronze horses that pull the chariot on top of the former Wayne County Building.

cramirez@detroitnews.com