My love for museums and Detroit is no secret. Still, as someone who’s explored many of the world’s most revered cultural institutions, I can tell you: these museums in Detroit are worth your time. If you’re looking for things to do in Detroit, get ready to discover the Motor City’s rich past, artistic soul, and incredible innovations.
1. Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA): A World-Class Art Collection
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) stands as a beacon of culture. What makes the DIA truly exceptional is its fabulous modern and contemporary art collections. You’ll find masterpieces by Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, O’Keeffe, and Warhol.
The undisputed highlight for many, myself included, are the magnificent Diego Rivera Industry Murals. These 27 fresco murals vividly portray Detroit’s geological, technological, and human history, forever enshrined in the stunning Rivera Court. Nearby, you can also view a recent acquisition from his wife, the iconic Frida Kahlo.
The DIA museum boasts over 65,000 pieces spanning a full complement of global art, including American, African, Egyptian, European, and Islamic collections.
Beyond the fantastic art, the museum building itself is a masterpiece. Its Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, with high ceilings, elaborate tilework, and carved cornices, is truly magnificent. Don’t miss a break at the Kresge Court. They’ve repurposed and enclosed courtyard-turned-bar, where sunlight filters through large windows, casting golden shadows.
Fun Fact: The DIA was the first American museum to purchase a van Gogh painting. (Self-Portrait, 1887)
Find it at: 5200 Woodward Avenue Detroit.
2. Motown Museum: Hitsville U.S.A.
There aren’t many museums that will leave you feeling as uplifted and inspired as the Motown Museum. Many visitors, myself included, find themselves singing and dancing through its halls!
Created in 1985 by Motown founder Berry Gordy’s sister, Esther Gordy Edwards. This museum holds the most impressive collection of Motown history anywhere in the world. This is where history was made, as the actual home of Hitsville U.S.A. and the famous Studio A.
Step into a time capsule to see Michael Jackson’s famous glove, dresses from The Supremes, and even the candy machine young Stevie Wonder used! It’s a walk through music history unlike any other.
The tours are all timed and guided and will take about an hour. It costs $20, but plan to spend much more in the unique Motown gift shop.
Highly recommend!
Find it at: 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit.
3. Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village: An American Epic
These are technically two separate museums, but they truly belong together and are well worth spending two entire days visiting. Yes, that’s how vast and impressive The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village truly are.
The Henry Ford Museum: This indoor museum is a showcase of American ingenuity and the people who’ve shaped the nation. Its collection includes:
Even George Washington’s army cot and Thomas Edison’s last breath sealed in a tube – it doesn’t get more real than that!
- Rosa Parks’ bus
- The car John F. Kennedy was assassinated in
- Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theatre
Thousands of other important artifacts and automobiles (like the Weinermobile!) from every decade of American history.
Greenfield Village: This sprawling outdoor museum is a unique collection of historic homes and facilities. Here, you’ll find:
The village is complete with actors who provide demonstrations, hold conversations about their historical time period, and never break character. There’s truly no place else like this in the world.
- Thomas Edison’s laboratory where he invented electricity
- The bike shop the Wright Brothers owned when they developed flight
- Many other interactive displays and hands on-activities like pottery and candle making, glass blowing and more.
There’s no place else like this in the world.
Find it at 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI.
4. Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: A Vital Story
You can’t talk about Detroit history without the African American story.
You cannot fully grasp Detroit’s history without understanding the vital role of African Americans in the city’s story. Founded in 1965, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History holds the world’s largest permanent exhibit of African American culture. This museum has long been a standout and continues to be a crucial cultural institution.
It now houses some of the most important modern African American artifacts. These include the Harriet Tubman Museum Collection and the Blanche Coggin Underground Railroad Collection. It also impressively compiles documents about the Detroit labor movement in the Sheffield Collection.
My favorite part is the interactive exhibit, “And Still We Rise: Our Journey through African American History and Culture. It’s named in honor of Maya Angelou. This riveting, walk-through experience retells the trials and triumphs of African American lives, leaving you inspired.
Find it at 315 E. Warren Ave. Detroit.
Find it at 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit.
5. Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD): Art for Social Change
Housed in a relatively unassuming one-story building, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is HUGE on originality. It provides a vibrant home for both local and international contemporary art, offering a uniquely different experience with every visit.
The space constantly transforms to suit its exhibits. I’ve seen walls erected, mazes developed, and fascinating oddities hung from the ceiling, along with light installations that transport you to another planet! MOCAD’s mission is for art to nurture social change and human understanding. I guarantee it will always open your mind.
As a community hub, it’s a great places to relax and truly get to know Detroit’s creative pulse. Plus, Café 78 is an uber-cool spot to hang out and grab a local roast coffee, baked goods, or a cocktail.
Find it at 4454 Woodward, Detroit.
6. Detroit Historical Museum: Step Back in Time
The Detroit Historical Museum offers an immersive journey through over 300 years of Detroit’s rich past with captivating, real-life exhibitions. My first visit as an elementary school student left an unforgettable impression, and it remains a highlight to this day.
Must-See Exhibits:
Detroit: The Gallery of Innovations: Discover Detroit’s profound contributions to new ideas and inventions. You’ll be surprised by how many innovators hail from Metro Detroit!
“Streets of Old Detroit”: Located in the basement, this complete re-creation of Detroit’s streets from centuries ago. It features authentic cobblestone pathways and incredibly detailed, spectacular shop windows that will transport you. Get nostalgic over the various industries and recognizable business names featured.
Modern Detroit Exhibits: Upstairs, explore the Kid Rock Music Lab and Motor City Music, delving deep into Motown history.
Find it at: 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
7. Pewabic Pottery: A Detroit Icon of Craftsmanship
While not a traditional museum, Pewabic Pottery is a historical and artistic icon in Detroit that’s absolutely worth mentioning. It functions as a ceramic studio, shop, and school, founded in 1903. You’ll learn about its renowned unique iridescent glazes and traditional craftsmanship during your visit.
Pewabic is also a National Historic Landmark. Created in the Arts and Crafts style, its pottery and tiles are known for their remarkable Detroit durability – lasting, perhaps, forever. Pewabic tiles still grace many of Detroit’s most famous buildings (like the Guardian Building below). You’ll see Pewabic tiles all over the city.
Today, the building serves as a vibrant ceramic arts education center and cultural destination. Go and buy something historically amazing!
Find it at 10125 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit.
8. Fairlane, Home of Clara and Henry Ford
If we’re talking about unique museums and historic homes in Detroit, we cannot skip Fair Lane. This magnificent estate belonged to Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Ford. While it has been periodically closed for extensive restoration work, if you can get in – GO!
This incredible 31,000-square-foot “house” sits on 1,300 acres in Dearborn, just outside of Detroit. Built alongside the Rouge River, it famously includes a hydroelectric powerhouse and dam. Henry Ford himself engineered to power the home, accessible via a secret underground tunnel. Seriously, it’s amazing!
The estate also features a greenhouse, an indoor pool (now a restaurant space, closed for restoration), a skating house, staff cottages, a bowling alley, and a pony barn. I could go on, but you truly should see it for yourself.
The house periodically opens for workshops and events to showcase the ongoing restoration progress. If the interior is closed, you can still tour the beautiful gardens and expansive grounds. You’ll marvele at the scale and ingenuity of this historic American estate. (And yes, you might learn what a dumbwaiter is – a truly “rich people thing”!)
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