The Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the best places in America
The Detroit Institute of Arts is an art museum, and it’s one of the best places in America. It’s also a really good look at everything that’s right about America. If you live in the Detroit area, in Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne counties, then the museum is free. If you live elsewhere, the tickets are $12.50 and kids are either free or $6, depending on their age. Basically, anyone in America can take a look at some of the best art in the world, rivaling that of any other museum, for less money than they would have spent to see Paul Blart: Mall Cop in 2009.
All the staff at the DIA are friendly. I’ve visited the museum on the Friday after Thanksgiving the past few years, and none of the staff look angry or put out over having to work. And none of them are on their cell phones. They’re out and about — plenty of them — milling about, just trying to help people. Last Friday, I asked a staff member where the Contemporary exhibit was. To be clear, I had a good idea, because the place is pretty well laid out, but I didn't want to get turned around. I asked a staff member to help me out. He first showed it to me on my map, then explained it in a brief narrative, and then started walking that way, urging me to follow. He was actually going to walk me over to the place before I told him he didn’t have to bother.
In the evenings sometimes, they put out easels and benches and hand out paper, pencils, and erasers. People can just sit in the galleries and draw, like they were somehow a part of this big thing called art. Anyone can do it, even really young kids, and the staff are all just wandering around trying to help people out and get them involved.
And while I was waiting for my kid to finish up her art — and there was no one rushing anyone around — I leaned up against a column, and this guy came out and said that people shouldn’t do that. I apologized, and he was like, “it’s no big deal. Let me bring you a chair.” I said I’d just stand, and he offered the chair again. Beautiful and impressive museums can sometimes be intimidating, but this one is really welcoming. Breaking a rule? No problem — they’ll help you comply comfortably.
And the art is incredible. Art can be pretty personal, but so much of what’s generally considered important art is represented here. There’s statues and sculptures from thousands of years ago. There’s art from Africa and the Middle East. From Asia and Europe. There’s photographs of Iggy Pop. There’s Warhol and Renoir. Picasso and van Gogh. There are murals by Diego Rivera that’ll never be seen anywhere else because they’re part of the Institute’s very walls.
And anyone can see this. If you’re local, there’s no reason why you can’t can dozens of times a month. And even if you have to pay, it’s reasonable. Andy Warhol said,
What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.
And that’s what’s great about the DIA. You want to see great art? You can. It’ll either be free or pretty reasonable. The people there are friendly and helpful. They want to get you involved and see you as an important part of what they’re doing, and what they’re doing is a noble endeavor. And if you’re at the DIA, you’re seeing art at the level of anyone else on the planet. It’s one of the best places in America, and it’s a great American place.
