Detroit Institute of Arts

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is a major encyclopedic art museum in Detroit, Michigan, housing a broad collection that spans antiquity to contemporary art. The museum is well known for its large and varied holdings and for landmark works displayed on site.

Galleries cover European masters, American art, African and Asian collections, prints and drawings, and modern and contemporary works; the museum’s standout attraction is the Diego Rivera Detroit Industry mural cycle in the central court. Temporary exhibitions, educational programmes and special events complement the permanent collection.

The museum building opened in 1927 and expanded over subsequent decades as the collection grew through donations and purchases. The Diego Rivera murals were commissioned and installed in 1932-33 and remain a signature feature of the museum.

Located on Woodward Avenue in Midtown Detroit, the DIA sits within the city’s cultural district near other museums and institutions and is easily reachable from downtown Detroit.

• Collection size and strengths: The museum's collection comprises roughly 65,000 works spanning antiquity to contemporary art, with strengths in American, European, African and Asian holdings.
• Building and notable work: The DIA building on Woodward Avenue opened in 1927 and the Rivera murals were installed in the early 1930s, making them a major cultural highlight on site.

What to See #

• Detroit Industry Murals: The Detroit Industry Murals are a 27-panel fresco cycle by Diego Rivera completed in 1932-33, installed in the museum's Rivera Court and considered a signature work of the collection.