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Theater, Cultural Center, since 1927

Detroit Institute of Arts

Still standing, photographed 2018

The exterior of the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2018 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1927
Style
Beaux Arts
Standing
99 years

Designed by Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, Gunnar Birkerts and Michael Graves

Detroit Institute of Arts has stood on Woodward Ave. in Cultural Center since 1927, 99 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Detroit Institute of Arts

Detroit Institute of Arts, Building, 2016 Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Detroit Institute of Arts: Atrium in new section, 2011 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Howdy Doody being displayed at Detroit Institute of Arts Puppet Display Case, 2010 Photo: Volkan Yuksel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

New construction on the lot

  • Standing and open Source: Historic Detroit

Building permits at this address

14 permits since November 2024

$6.3 million in declared work (2 of 14 name a figure) Newest: Fire alarm permit, July 10, 2026

  1. Fire alarm permit

    Install of new fire alarm devices in remodeled contemporary gallery.

  2. Electrical permit

    Temp power for concert of colors 7-17 to 7-20

  3. Electrical permit

    Schwartz gallery electrical upgrade

  4. Alteration permit

    Concrete repairs and erection of shoring throughout the underground Parking Structure to Code per plans.... Read all

    Concrete repairs and erection of shoring throughout the underground Parking Structure to Code per plans. Subject to Fiel

    $26,136

  5. Elevator permit

    City# 11802 cvd17903/cvd05200 c 89441 replace valve

  6. Electrical permit

    Gallery realignment of lighting/controls, fire alarm & receptacles.

  7. Alteration permit

    Interior alterations as per plans. Subject to field approval.

    $6.3 million

  8. Electrical permit

    Temp elec permit

  9. Electrical permit

    Temporary Light & Receptacle Connected to 3 Circuits.

  10. Electrical permit

    Installation of new light fixture, plugs & electrical panels.

  11. Fire alarm permit

    Installation of new fire alarm devices.

  12. Fire alarm permit

    Installing a new fire suppression system for the renovated Schwartz Galleries storage rooms.

  13. Elevator permit

    City# 8519 new valve cvd05274/c89432

  14. Mechanical permit

    Mech

Source: City and county building permits

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

Detroit Institute of Arts opened in 1927, during the boom years when the auto industry turned Detroit into one of the fastest growing cities in America.

Credit the design to Gunnar Birkerts; Michael Graves; Paul Philippe Cret; Suren Pilafian and Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, working in Beaux Arts.

It still stands and still opens its doors.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 5200 Woodward Ave and look up.

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is an art museum in midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. It has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the U.S. With over 100 galleries, it covers 658,000 square feet (61,100 m2) with a major renovation and expansion project completed in 2007 that added 58,000 square feet (5,400 m2).

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1927 Built Designed by Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, Gunnar Birkerts, Michael Graves, Paul Philippe Cret, and Suren Pilafian
  2. 2024 3 building permits The latest December 16
  3. 2025 5 building permits $6.3 million in declared work, the latest August 26
  4. 2026 6 building permits $26,136 in declared work, the latest July 10
  5. 2026 Today New construction on the lot

Where it is

5200 Woodward Ave.

On this map

  1. Detroit Institute of Arts This place
  2. Detroit Industry Murals, Detroit Institute of Arts 60 ft
  3. Cultural Center Historic District 310 ft
  4. The Scarab Club 470 ft
  5. Wardell, The 0.1 mi
  6. Hellenic Museum of Michigan 0.1 mi
  7. Detroit Public Library Main Branch 0.1 mi
  8. Temple of the Maccabees 0.1 mi
  9. Park Shelton 0.1 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Architect

Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary

Architecture firm. Designed Detroit Institute of Arts (1927)

Gunnar Birkerts
Photo: University of Michigan A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Gunnar Birkerts

Latvian-American architect, 1925 to 2017. Designed 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative (1964) and 2 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Gunnar Birkerts

Michael Graves
Photo: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Michael Graves

American architect and designer of consumer products, 1934 to 2015. Designed Detroit Institute of Arts (1927)

Paul Philippe Cret
Photo: Conrad Frederick Haeseler, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Paul Philippe Cret

French-American architect and industrial designer, 1876 to 1945. Designed Detroit Institute of Arts (1927)

Architect

Suren Pilafian

Detroit Architect, 1910 to 1988. Designed Detroit Institute of Arts (1927)

More from Detroit in the 1920s

Around the block

It is in Cultural Center. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. The exterior of the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2018 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Detroit Institute of Arts, Building, 2016 Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Detroit Institute of Arts: Atrium in new section, 2011 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Howdy Doody being displayed at Detroit Institute of Arts Puppet Display Case, 2010 Photo: Volkan Yuksel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. William-Adolphe Bouguereau, The Nut Gatherers (1882) Photo: William-Adolphe Bouguereau, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.