Reasons to visit Detroit and spend lotsa $$$

Reasons to visit Detroit and spend your money there

#1: They can use the money
#2: Real estate is super cheap
#3: You can make a circle tour of this beautiful state (see previous blogs)
#4: Its rich history...a bit of which in a future blog
#5: Motown!
#6: Last, definitely not least: the amazing D.I.A.

We visited the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday before the beginning of reunion
festivities. Located in downtown Detroit’s “Cultural Center”, across from the
main library and Wayne State University (ask me if you want to know about Uncle Gordon and Wayne St, DIA houses one of the country’s premier art collections, valued at over $1 billion. Detroit was once a rich city, 4th largest in the country. I spent my childhood nights terrified that each plane I heard was about to drop the atom bomb on our important city.
DIA is also the 5th largest museum in terms of space in the US, thanks to an expansion in 2007. It is noted for its significant survey of American art,
the beautiful building and the Diego Rivera frescoes, which occupy a large central room.
We spent a long time admiring his “Detroit Industry” cycle, which Rivera himself
called his most successful work. It was quite controversial in its time:
Rivera’s Marxism and the pro-labor theme. We were certain he depicted Lenin in the details, couldn’t find him.
The photo exhibition, “Photography, the first 100 years”, was fantastic and it alone made the visit worthwhile. It has been well reviewed.
DIA is quite user-friendly, with lots of interactive stuff and 2 self serve restaurants, one of which is in a kind of cloister which has wi-fi! I had blackened trout for lunch, grilled as I watched. And in keeping with Skip's comment about my preference for museum cafes and gift shops, I also liked the shop.