The Grand Eye-Opening at the DIA

So the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) has been closed since last May and is re-opening to the public this weekend. I decided to buy a membership ($80 gets two adults in for free any time we want for one year, + 10% off at the DIA shop) and so I took my mom last weekend, during the member preview.

Normally I don't like to take a lot of pictures inside museums because I think it's hard to photograph that type of experience, but I just had to include these of the Diego Rivera murals that completely fill all the wallspace in the part of the museum that is now called Rivera Court. Mom went to go find a bathroom and so I got to sit and just start at these for a while. They're pretty amazing. I've been meaning to look up how long it took him to complete them, but I keep forgetting.

Apparently the renovation that the DIA undewent is a bit controversial in the art world. In my humble, non art-expert opinion, they did a fantastic job. The DIA looks beautiful. Plus they incorporated a variety of interative and informational elements to the exhibits, to make it more accessible to the non-expert crowd (such as myself!), and I think that is such a smart idea! The DIA has an incredible collection (including works by Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Cassat, Van Gogh, and many others) and almost no one was visiting the permanent collection. When traffic moved through the DIA it was for special exhibits. Somehow I don't think they'll have that problem anymore.

Check out more about the DIA, and go downtown to see it in person!