The Detroit Institute of Arts has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States. With more 65,000 artworks that appointment from the primeval civilizations to the present, the museum offers visitors an run into with man inventiveness from all over the world. Visit the DIA today to immerse yourself in more than 100 galleries, or get inspired at dwelling with the thousands of artworks digitized in our online collection.

Kongo, Knife Case and Lid, 16th/18th Century, Ivory. Detroit Institute of Arts.

Africa, Oceania & Indigenous Americas

Observe the captivating arts of African cultures s of the Sahara Desert and Egypt, every bit well as the artistic expressions of the indigenous populations of N, Central and S America.

African Art

Did you lot know that the DIA'south African art drove ranks among the finest in the earth?

Explore the cultural diversity and rich history of Africa'southward people through works fabricated from aboriginal stone, clay, wood, and metal, as well every bit utilitarian objects, musical instruments, ceremonial costumes and contemporary paintings. This drove, established in the 1890s, has grown significantly, particularly over the last four decades. It now includes near two,700 pieces from approximately i hundred African cultures. Although its primary accent is on the arts of regions south of the Sahara Desert, the department has recently expanded to include North African and contemporary African works.

Join the Friends of African and African American Art today to run across other fine art lovers and learn more than about the African art drove.

Indigenous American Art

Experience the ancient arts of the U.s., Canada, United mexican states, Republic of costa rica, Peru and other Central and South American countries in the DIA's Native American galleries. With approximately 3,871 objects, this drove showcases terra cotta, woods and rock figures, masks, ceramic and wooden utensils, metalwork, textiles and costumes covering virtually 3,000 years.

Egyptian Fine art

Investigate mummies, coffins, tomb wall fragments, manuscripts and objects from daily life in ancient Egypt. This rich and diverse collection of objects spans approximately 3,000 years of Egyptian culture.

Oceanic Art

This small collection includes creative works from the peoples of Australia and the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii and Easter Island, spanning approximately 150 years. The DIA is currently non actively collecting Oceanic Art and at that place is no gallery dedicated to information technology.

"Cotopaxi," Frederic Edwin Church, 1862, American. Detroit Institute of Arts.

American Fine art

Consider a painting of exploding fireworks that changed the form of modern art or a thou view of a volcanic eruption in Ecuador showing the natural earth thrown into chaos. Look for a heroic story of escape from a shark attack in Havana Harbor, gritty scenes of the modern city, or imagined vignettes from myth, fable and literature. Compare images of doting parents in a quiet home to scenes of adventure on the frontier. Stand among furniture that survived the American Revolution, opulent silverish from the Gilded Age, and ceramics crafted by Detroit artists who transformed useful things into inspiring objects. Explore painted visions of the unique dazzler of the American mural and the crisp abstractions of modern artists inventing new ways of agreement quondam things.

Surround yourself in a world-famous mural that captures the power of Detroit workers and manufacture during the Nifty Low. Pace into historic architectural spaces furnished to suggest daily life in the colonial past.

These are merely a few examples of what awaits you in the DIA'due south collection of American Art. This collection includes roughly 5,000 paintings, sculptures and decorative fine art objects made by N, Central, and South American artists between 1660 and 1950. These diverse objects provide a more thorough understanding of how artists and designers shaped the culture and history of the Americas.

The DIA's important celebrated works by African American artists is part of the General Motors Heart for African American Art drove.

Bring together the Associates of the American Wing today to run across other art lovers and larn more nigh the behind the scenes of the DIA's stunning American collection.

Sakyamuni Emerging from the Mountains, late 13th/early 14th Century

The Arts of Asia and the Islamic World

Discover a multitude of artworks fabricated throughout Asia, the Aboriginal Center East, and the Islamic World. The drove dates from aboriginal times to the present and includes carved stone, cast statuary, painted pottery, molded glass, exquisite textiles, religious sculptures and fine paintings.

Arts of the Ancient Eye East

Writing. Coins. Pottery. Wheels. All mutual features of life in the 21st century.

But they didn't ever be. They were created over the course of nearly nine,000 years by the people of the Ancient Middle East, where early civilizations were born.

You lot'll find these inventions and more in the DIA'southward drove, which features carved stone reliefs, metalwork, ceramics, drinking glass, coins and clay writing tablets. These objects chart the ascent of writing, of trade and commercial transactions, of religions, of cities and of empires in the bang-up early civilizations of the Center East.

Arts of the Islamic World

The Arts of the Islamic Earth collection dates from 600 CE to the present. Just peradventure yous're wondering what is meant past Islamic World. From where, geographically, do these objects come?

The answer might surprise you. The objects come from an expansive expanse of Islamic influence, which—beginning virtually 1400 years ago—stretched from the Eye E to South and Southeast Asia, as well as to Southern Europe and North Africa. The richness of the ceramics, metalwork, rugs and carpets, woven silks and decorated textiles reverberate the influences of the various languages, existing religions, and social structures of the peoples who resided in these areas.

Arts of Asia

The DIA's collection of Asian Art offers a glimpse into the cultures of Cathay, Japan, Korea and South and Southeast Asia. The collection spans more than 4,000 years and includes the world's most intricately bandage bronze ritual vessels and outset porcelain dishes and also equally rare religious sculptures.

Arts of China

Chinese scholars used ink to paint on silk and paper to capture the spirit of their subjects rather than creating a realistic likeness. This artistic technique is part of the vast multifariousness and long history of Chinese Art. You'll find examples of this and more in the DIA's drove, which also includes ancient ritual bronze vessels, burial pottery, the world's showtime porcelain dishes, inlaid lacquerware, scroll paintings and religious sculptures.

Arts of Korea

In the Korean Art drove, yous'll find objects as old as three chiliad years and as recent as the last decade. Some were used in daily life, others used by scholars or for devotion and worship. Together, these objects demonstrate both Korea'southward uniqueness and the influences of its fine art forms, writing systems and technologies in the art of East Asia.

Arts of Nihon

What do ruby blossoms, the autumn moon, wintry pines and scenes from the world'southward beginning novel have in common? They are all examples of images traditionally found in the arts of Japan art. Discover these and many more than in the DIA's collection of Japanese Art, which also includes fine tea ware, luxurious costumes and exquisite lacquerware.

Arts of Due south and Southeast Asia

Discover the artistic expressions of South and Southeast Asia through extraordinary objects inspired by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain religions. The collection features objects such equally palm-foliage-manuscripts, minor temple and altar statues and  life-size sculptures.

Join the Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures today to run into other fine art lovers and learn more than virtually the backside the scenes of the DIA's Asian Arts and Cultures collection.

Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, c. 1623/1625, Oil on canvas. Detroit Institute of Arts.

European Art

The DIA's drove of European art is 1 of the largest and near distinguished in the The states. With a wide range of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts from across Europe, the drove includes works spanning the ages from ancient Hellenic republic and Rome to 1950.

European Paintings

Imagine yourself taking part in a lively hymeneals dance or gazing upon a cheerless cemetery. Picture a scene where a adult female commits an act of heroism to salvage her people. These images are just a few of those you will find in the European Paintings collection, recognized equally i of the finest in the United states. It includes work by well-known painters of religious imagery, portraits, landscapes and scenes from everyday life. The collection features virtually ane,000 paintings that date from the 1100s until 1950.

Join the European Paintings Council today to come across other art lovers and learn more most the backside the scenes of the DIA's stunning European Paintings collection.

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Sometimes sculpture represents devotional figures. It tin also take the likeness of real people or tell stories of myths and legends.

Decorative arts are objects that are ornamental but also functional —ranging from striking suits of armor and elegantly upholstered piece of furniture to gleaming silver serving dishes and fragile porcelain teacups.

Detect these and more than in the museum's drove of European sculpture and decorative arts. The collection spans the years from the 400s to the 1800s and is considered among the best in the world. It includes most 7,000 artworks and reflects the technical accomplishments achieved past some of Europe's most accomplished artists and artisans.

Join the Visiting Commission for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts today to run across other art lovers and learn more about the behind the scenes of the DIA'southward stunning European sculpture and decorative arts drove.

Mod Art

Modern artists were known for their radical use of color, form and subject matter and their experimentation with nontraditional materials and techniques. As chance takers who broke with the past and challenged the art of previous generations, they also offer viewers new and unexpected ways of seeing, interpreting and experiencing the gimmicky world.

This collection of more than than 1,000 paintings, sculptures and decorative objects showcases the innovative ideas and new forms of expression of some of the most important European artists and designers from 1850 to 1950.

Join the Friends of Modern and Contemporary Fine art today to meet other art lovers and learn more virtually the behind the scenes of the DIA'due south Modern and Contemporary collections.

Ancient Western Antiquities

Do you know how ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman civilizations worshipped their gods and goddesses and honored the expressionless? Would you like to discover what daily life was like in aboriginal Hellenic republic and Italy? This DIA collection of more than than 2,500 objects offers a window into the classical world past showcasing sculptures, architectural fragments, ceramic and glass vessels, jewelry, and utilitarian objects among other fascinating items covering approximately thirteen centuries.

Michelangelo, Scheme for the Decoration of the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, c. 1508, Pen and brown ink and black chalk on cream laid paper. Detroit Institute of Arts.

Prints Drawings & Photographs

Explore more than 5 centuries of works on newspaper, from 16th-century preparatory drawings and sketches to gimmicky photographs and artworks exploring diverse printmaking techniques, such as lithography, woodcut, engraving and etching. This collection contains approximately 35,000 prints, drawings, photographs, watercolors, posters and artists' books past some of the world'due south best known artists and representing a variety of cultures, with detail accent on European and American works.

Join the Friends of Prints, Drawings and Photographs today to meet other art lovers and get backside the scenes in the DIA'south Prints, Drawings and Photographs collection.

Something You Can Feel,

General Motors Center For African American Art

Did yous know that the General Motors Center for African American Art is i of the beginning curatorial departments exclusively devoted to African American fine art at a major museum? Established in 2000, this department is committed to increasing awareness of the contributions of African Americans to the arts community and to highlighting American history, society and creative expression from an African American perspective.

Detect artworks created by African American artists of local and national reputation, who experiment with the creative styles and techniques of their time who explore identity, race, political and social consciousness, amidst other important issues. This collection holds shut to 600 artworks from the mid-19th century to today and includes paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and photographs.

Bring together the Friends of African and African American Fine art today to meet other art lovers and learn more near the African American art drove and the work of the General Motors Middle for African American art.

Robert Moskowitz, Hard Ball III, 1993, oil on canvas. Detroit Institute of Arts.

Gimmicky Art

The DIA's Contemporary Art drove features artwork by local, national, and international artists. Through their work, these individuals both explore and question aspects of modern life.

The collection contains over 3,500 paintings, video and installation-based artwork, sculpture, and studio arts and crafts objects spanning from the 1950s to the present. Some were created using traditional methods and materials, while others creatively claiming convention. The drove'south development is ongoing with the continual acquisition of piece of work created by living artists.

Join the Friends of Modern and Contemporary Art today to meet other art lovers and learn more about the behind the scenes of the DIA's Modern and Contemporary collections.

Josephine F. Ford Sculpture Garden

In 2005, The Detroit Institute of Arts partnered with the College for Creative Studies to create the Josephine F. Ford Sculpture Garden, located on John R at Kirby Street. The works in the sculpture garden are from the DIA's collection, on loan to CCS.

A spectacular brandish of 20th-century sculpture, the two-acre site comprises 12 sculptures from the DIA's permanent collection and was the city's commencement sculpture garden open up to the public.

Walter E. Deaves, Diver, 1903, Wood paint and cloth. Detroit Institute of Arts.

Performing Arts

The Performing Arts Collection contains more than than 10,000 original motion picture and theater photographs, posters, and ephemera from all over the world. The materials date from the early on 1900s to the nowadays.

Paul McPharlin Puppetry Collection

Puppets are used to tell stories and bring our imagination to life. This performing arts tradition is thousands of years erstwhile and is found in cultures from all over the globe. The Paul McPharlin Puppetry Collection is one of the most significant collections of theatrical puppets in the United States. The bulk of the collection is  American theatrical puppets made between 1850 and 1950, just it too features:

  • stages and production sets
  • detailed records of American puppet troupes
  • rare books that trace the ancient history of the puppet theater

Because many of the puppets in our collection are made of frail materials that tin can exist easily damaged, individual puppets cannot be on permanent display and are rotated every six months. Merely you tin can view examples here on our website any time you want. Let a puppet spark your imagination.

Digitization of the American collection was made possible by a grant from The Henry Luce Foundation. Digitization of the collection of prints, drawings, and photographs was made possible in function past the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The DIA'southward European Decorative Art storage project is funded in role by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Logo for the Henry Luce Foundation

Logo for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Logo for the National Endowment for the Humanities