The Department oversees four collections: the arts of Africa, Egypt, the South Pacific, andthe Indigenous Americas. The DIA’s African art collection ranks among the finest in the United States. A diverse and rich collection, ranging from sculptures to textiles, and exquisite utilitarian wares, religious, and paraphernalia, detailed bodily ornaments, is heavily weighted toward the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Paintings
The heart of any great museum is its collection and The Detroit Institute of Arts is proud to claim one of the largest, and most significant art collections in the nation. From the first painting in 1883 to the most recent acquisition, our collection of more than 60,000 works brings the culture and creativity of the world to Detroit’s own doorstep.
Sculptures
The broad collection of sculptures, including decorative arts, has over 7,000 objects of varying media, such as armor, ceramics, furniture, glass ivories, rare jewelry, precious metalwork,and also sculptures in all sizes and materials. In this department you will see exceptional depth in French sculpture and decorative arts from the 1700’s, including Sèvres porcelain, furniture, silver, and tapestries.
