The Detroit Observatory is managed by the Bentley Historical Library and is under the direction of Gary Krenz.

Gary joined the Bentley as director for post-bicentennial planning in 2018.  He previously served as executive director of the U-M Bicentennial Office from 2013 to 2018. He was special counsel to the U-M president, acting as an advisor on presidential initiatives, planning, issue management, and policy development.

Austin Edmister serves as assistant director for astronomy at the Detroit Observatory. Austin holds a BS in physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an MS in astrophysics from Michigan State University. He has over a decade of experience using telescopes and planetariums to teach about the wonders of the night sky.