I recently had the chance to visit the Detroit Institute of Arts. The museum is a great balance…read morebetween being expansive and still manageable. You can easily spend a few hours here without feeling overwhelmed. What stood out most was the diversity of the collection. From classic European paintings to modern and contemporary works, there's something for every kind of art lover. The layout of the museum is intuitive, and I appreciated how easy it was to move between galleries without getting lost. Staff were friendly and helpful without being intrusive, and the overall atmosphere felt relaxed rather than stuffy. Overall, I'd highly recommend the Detroit Institute of Arts to anyone visiting Detroit or even locals who haven't been in a while. It's a thoughtfully curated, enriching experience that feels both accessible and inspiring.

I've been going to the DIA for years and it truly never lets me down. So beyond beautiful and it…read morereally reminds me of the spirit, culture, and love this city holds. I ended up going to the Kresge Court for the first time and got the chicken parm sandwich! Surprisingly it was really good, but definitely wished it was warm. While the space was gorgeous, I must say the vibes were slightly off-putting. When we sat down, multiple employees immediately came up to us asking if we were going to dine in and, if not, let us know that we'd have to sit elsewhere. I understand that that's how the space operates, but even after one employee came up to us, more just kept coming! We really didn't have a chance to settle in with our stuff as we felt a bit pressured to get our food before anyone else could say something to us. I think instead of having reserved signage on the tables, it should say "Dine-in customers only" to reduce any confusion. I was already confused on it saying "reserved" in the first place, but luckily a friend who'd been there before explained it to me.

MOCAD is a great little spot located off Woodward in Detroit…read more It is quaint & the time to get through the museum is quicker than most museums. The set up is perfect for the featured artists. There are discounts for veterans also. There is a cafe located at the end of the tour. This is also an event space!

Here's another gem in the city. I've visited this museum on several occasions as well. The first…read moretime was to see the artwork on display. They were featuring a local artist from Detroit at the time. The museum is big on the outside but inside there isn't many pieces of art. It's contemporary which I enjoy. The other portion of the museum is used for shows/events. I went a few weeks ago to see Terri Lyne Carrington and Mickalene Thomas do a collaboration. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! I would definitely recommend visiting when there's an event taking place.

This is one of the best galleries I've ever been to in Detroit, and Honestly the entire Midwest…read more The exhibitions are well thought out, beautifully executed and represent a really interesting range of artists and works. The staff is constantly amazing me with their hospitality, I've met four employees so far and they are all shining stars. The four legged ones have great opinions of the art. And the roomba is not a character to be overlooked, the floors are spotless! The gallery manager is well versed and easy to communicate with, often going above and beyond for the artists that he works with. 10/10 guy, you should ask him about the bean. This is THE place to go for contemporary art in the city.

I came here on a group tour and it was so wonderful! Jayden was our tour guide and did such a great…read morejob. I couldn't believe how much I learned about Detroit! It's so much more than just car manufacturing here! The museum was informative and curated well. I would recommend a visit if curious about Detroit!

The "Detroit Historical Museum" tells the story of Detroit through it's rich culture. The museum…read moredoes an incredible job with display. From the original cars in the Motor City, to there success hockey team. On the lower level, you can walk through a town and see what it was like in early Detroit. It was incredible to see the cobble roads, and the shops that sold goods for ten cents (Oh I wish). They also showed how Detroit helped with the war efforts. My favorite were the creatures that lived in Detroit. Aretha Franklin, Barry Sanders, and Sam Raimi lived in this historic city. They even have comic creatures from the city. I recommend coming here if you visit or even live in Detroit. Learn what makes the city.

Total rip off for Tigers games.. made the mistake of passing all the lots near Comerica advertising…read more$40 parking specifically bc I thought the Z Lot would be more reasonable - nope, surprise! $60 "event rate" taped over the usual rates. Will go out of my way to NOT park here going forward. What a money grab.

The Z-Lot and it's adjoining alley, know as the Belt is a great place in Detroit to enjoy a wealth…read moreof public art, something the city has a lot of. Both the Z-Lot and the Belt Alley contain a wide range of artwork, from artists around the globe. A lot of it is quite edgy,fun and colorful. This is one of those unusual places I enjoy visiting in cities. The Belt Alley also has an outdoor bar called the Skip. The Z-Garage has artwork on all it's floors and you don't have to park there to see it. The view from the top of this parking lot is awesome. You get an amazing view for free. You can see many city sites from here. It is a must see point for great pictures. On a Sunday evening, this garage is reasonably priced at $10. We were able to park, and walk all the levels to see the murals. The garage is split, and you can cross over between levels 4-10. The view from the top is pretty great, too.

I visited Cranbrook Art Museum with my parents last week, and I really enjoyed my visit…read more Cranbrook has a fascinating history. The art museum is just one part of the sprawling Cranbrook campus. The campus began when Detroit newspaper mogul George Booth and his wife Ellen Scripps Booth founded the complex, which eventually included schools, an academy of art, their house and gardens, a church, and more. The art museum is a contemporary art museum. The exhibition spaces are on the smaller side, but we saw two great-if-small exhibits: Akea Brionne: A Dreaming Hour and Monumental Color: Cecily Brown, Sam Gilliam, and Joan Mitchell (both close on September 6, 2026). Downstairs, they have two ongoing exhibits: Designing Cranbrook: The Saarinens' Eclectic Vision (a must whether or not you're visiting the Saarinen House or any of the other architecture sites on campus) and Shaping the Field: Ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art. The museum has a small cafe (open in the summer) as well as a small giftshop. We were already doing another tour, so we weren't able to join a Behind-the-Scenes Collections Wing Tour, which allows you to see a selection of the 8,000+ items in Cranbrook's collection inside their storage facility. Not being able to join that tour was my biggest regret of our visit to Cranbrook. There are other things to do at Cranbrook, much of it seasonal. But there's a separate page for that! There's a lot to do at Cranbrook, but the art museum is worth a visit, especially if there's an exhibit you're interested in or if you can swing the tour of the highlights of the permanent collection!

This is an eye-opening museum and worth a trip from other areas of the Detroit metropolis…read more The museum and connected Academy of Art has a distinguished alumni, as well as a fascinating rotation of exhibits. I visited here over a Thanksgiving holiday many moons ago. My wife Kelly is a native of the Detroit Metropolis and introduced me to this gem. In turn, I introduce it to you and give you my fullest recommendation to visit as soon as you possibly can.

What an awesome museum for kids to explore and learn! We had free tickets to come visit and check…read morethis place out and we were not disappointed. The kids were free because they are 2 as well. The parking in the lot next to it was $8 and its gated so it felt really safe. They have a ramp if you have a stroller. They offer stroller parking too. We walked around the main floor and checked out the exhibits. Then we went to the lower level and played in the kids area. The kids loved it. They do clean 12:30pm to 1:00pm. We were able to play for an hour. They loved the water section. There was dancing fruit in one of the rooms and my son was dancing a lot. Another room had soccer balls that he was throwing. They had a pretend kitchen area and a seated area with magnetic blocks. My kids did not want to leave. When we walked out they had a demonstration at the science stage at 12:30pm about fire. That was really cool. They also have IMAX theatre shows. We did not want to participate in that because our kids would just scream. We did go to the dinosaur exhibit on the third floor as well. Overall, it is a nice, clean, and fun museum for kids. We will definitely be back!

If I could rate 0 stars I would. 1 the place has mold and some of the exhibits are outdated and…read morebroken. I also wouldn't really call this a museum it feels more like a play house. there isn't alot of educational experiences.

We paid $20 admission & started with a short film about the factory, Ford & this plant. Tom, a…read moreretired engineer led us through a :75 tour including time for questions. The Model-T Automotive Heritage Complex, Inc., aka the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, was organized in 2000 as a nonprofit to preserve the Plant & keep it from being demolished. It's a museum & education center offering special programs & events. There are weddings here on weekends. In 1996 it was dedicated & was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. We spent about 2 hrs here & looked out the window at how part of this factory was converted to apartments. Over 1,600 men worked here over 100 years ago manufacturing Fords. There are over 65 rare automobiles including Henry Ford's "Letter Cars," unique Model T conversion vehicles, and other antique cars manufactured in Milwaukee Junction. We visited Henry Ford's office and Secret Experimental Room where the Model T was created in 1908. We experienced one of the world's oldest surviving automotive plants through a guided tour led by museum docents.

As a native Detroiter who loved Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum and enjoys automotive…read morehistory, a tour of the Ford Piquette Avenue plant was a joy. This museum has the largest collection of model Ts on display. Fun fact: there were actually two model As, and no model P for, well, I think obvious reasons. Not only is every model Ford built at the plant on display, but also competitor's vehicles of the time, including an electric car that Mrs. Ford is reported to have loved driving. There are many surprises I will not spoil. If you love cars, history, old architecture, and friendly knowledgeable tour guides, this is a must see place on a visit to Detroit. Or for folks who live in Detroit who want to know more about its rich history.

Off the beaten path, an alley near the Q line & ballpark. Some colorful graffiti filling an…read morealleyway with some garbage cans, tables, and back doors to businesses.

Popped in here after learning about it online. The staff were very friendly and happy to answer any…read morequestions. The art was nice and I enjoyed the overall vibe of a quick and accessible art gallery experience. It was free, so that's an added bonus! I wish there would have been a few more pieces to view but overall, no real complaints. I liked being able to scan a QR code to learn more about the art.

What a treasure. I didn't realize this gallery was in Michigan. I love having the opportunity to…read moreexperience so much artwork locally. They're open daily and have a parking lot onsite. The staff was very welcoming and helpful! If you haven't been, stop in soon.

So, I went to the auction for the free drink. That's it. I had no idea art auctions were even a…read morething on cruises. I ended up going back. And then again. I kept asking about piece after piece and Ronél Ströh never made me feel like I was wasting her time. Over the course of the trip she really learned my taste and found a stunning painting by Jim Warren. She Tracked it down in the catalog, wasn't even on the ship. She just knew I'd want it. Over different days she explained the difference between lithographs, serigraphs, hand-embellished pieces. I price-checked in front of her, never felt embarrassed. Didn't buy until basically the last day. Zero pressure, ever. I Left with two Kre8s, a Peter Max, a Fazzino, and that Warren. About the pricing, yes it's above street market, but the frames alone are stunning. I tried framing the complimentary lithographs I received and got a reality check fast on what framing actually costs. So honestly, the framing alone and when you include shipping is already at least 250+ everything arrived faster than I expected, beautifully packed. No issues whatsoever. One thing nobody mentions: once you buy, suddenly everyone on the ship has an auction story. There's this whole little art community that forms onboard. Genuinely fun. Go for the free drink. See what happens. I sincerely smile every time I see these prices and am so glad and feel cool to say I own fine art. Thanks Park west and thanks especially Ronnie.