So, I went to the auction for the free drink. That's it. I had no idea art auctions were even a…read morething on cruises. I ended up going back. And then again. I kept asking about piece after piece and Ronél Ströh never made me feel like I was wasting her time. Over the course of the trip she really learned my taste and found a stunning painting by Jim Warren. She Tracked it down in the catalog, wasn't even on the ship. She just knew I'd want it. Over different days she explained the difference between lithographs, serigraphs, hand-embellished pieces. I price-checked in front of her, never felt embarrassed. Didn't buy until basically the last day. Zero pressure, ever. I Left with two Kre8s, a Peter Max, a Fazzino, and that Warren. About the pricing, yes it's above street market, but the frames alone are stunning. I tried framing the complimentary lithographs I received and got a reality check fast on what framing actually costs. So honestly, the framing alone and when you include shipping is already at least 250+ everything arrived faster than I expected, beautifully packed. No issues whatsoever. One thing nobody mentions: once you buy, suddenly everyone on the ship has an auction story. There's this whole little art community that forms onboard. Genuinely fun. Go for the free drink. See what happens. I sincerely smile every time I see these prices and am so glad and feel cool to say I own fine art. Thanks Park west and thanks especially Ronnie.

I've done probably six cruises with PW auctions and bought art on every one so far…read more I have no more room to hang art, but they keep showing me cool art I MUST have, so job well done! I've been taken care of on the Jewel, the Dawn, the Prima, and now the Viva. Shyan made sure I got all the art I ever wanted this recent voyage...he will track it down for you and make sure you can hang the best at home to enjoy every day.

This is an eye-opening museum and worth a trip from other areas of the Detroit metropolis…read more The museum and connected Academy of Art has a distinguished alumni, as well as a fascinating rotation of exhibits. I visited here over a Thanksgiving holiday many moons ago. My wife Kelly is a native of the Detroit Metropolis and introduced me to this gem. In turn, I introduce it to you and give you my fullest recommendation to visit as soon as you possibly can.

I visited Cranbrook Art Museum with my parents last week, and I really enjoyed my visit…read more Cranbrook has a fascinating history. The art museum is just one part of the sprawling Cranbrook campus. The campus began when Detroit newspaper mogul George Booth and his wife Ellen Scripps Booth founded the complex, which eventually included schools, an academy of art, their house and gardens, a church, and more. The art museum is a contemporary art museum. The exhibition spaces are on the smaller side, but we saw two great-if-small exhibits: Akea Brionne: A Dreaming Hour and Monumental Color: Cecily Brown, Sam Gilliam, and Joan Mitchell (both close on September 6, 2026). Downstairs, they have two ongoing exhibits: Designing Cranbrook: The Saarinens' Eclectic Vision (a must whether or not you're visiting the Saarinen House or any of the other architecture sites on campus) and Shaping the Field: Ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art. The museum has a small cafe (open in the summer) as well as a small giftshop. We were already doing another tour, so we weren't able to join a Behind-the-Scenes Collections Wing Tour, which allows you to see a selection of the 8,000+ items in Cranbrook's collection inside their storage facility. Not being able to join that tour was my biggest regret of our visit to Cranbrook. There are other things to do at Cranbrook, much of it seasonal. But there's a separate page for that! There's a lot to do at Cranbrook, but the art museum is worth a visit, especially if there's an exhibit you're interested in or if you can swing the tour of the highlights of the permanent collection!

I recently had the chance to visit the Detroit Institute of Arts. The museum is a great balance…read morebetween being expansive and still manageable. You can easily spend a few hours here without feeling overwhelmed. What stood out most was the diversity of the collection. From classic European paintings to modern and contemporary works, there's something for every kind of art lover. The layout of the museum is intuitive, and I appreciated how easy it was to move between galleries without getting lost. Staff were friendly and helpful without being intrusive, and the overall atmosphere felt relaxed rather than stuffy. Overall, I'd highly recommend the Detroit Institute of Arts to anyone visiting Detroit or even locals who haven't been in a while. It's a thoughtfully curated, enriching experience that feels both accessible and inspiring.

I wished I paid attention to the KIND of museum it was. I grew up with a father who was a professor…read morewho taught art history. I know my way around art and their time periods. Needless to say I have some periods I detest. This museum filled that RAGE BAITING once again. Do not get me wrong, I appreciate these time periods and why they exist, the influences we have today are a result FROM these movements. I was hoping for some more recent movements of the 1920's to the 1950's. Detroit is a beautiful city, if you know where to look and where to see. A huge amount of art deco and mid century designs galore. Too bad this city needs to move it around/away to make room for the new wave of living in Detroit. I'm just glad there was an outfit of art in this city. Not my to liking but I did feel my dad surrounding me again was a nice memory...

This is a museum art. It is at the middle of campus. I would suggest visit at Sunday which parking…read moreon the street is free at that day. The museum is free. The building has three floors. The outside has a few sculptures. The visit takes about 1.5 hours. The collection is interesting. The display actually has some display on half floor. The collection has some Asian art.

I attended an evening reception at the museum. I had not been inside the museum since my undergrad…read moredays. A lot has changed including new additions that were not in existence when I was a student. For a small university museum, there is a wonderful Asian art collection and Picasso paintings. If you are a student or a visitor to the U of M campus, the museum is worth a visit.

Wow, what an museum!!! I don't mean to sound elitist, but…read moreone doesn't think Toledo, Ohio when it comes to world class art. This place is on another level of awesome! As is the glass museum across the street, this museum is free to visit. The exhibits here are world class and include a massive array of art over a 4,000+ year time frame. We also enjoyed the sculpture works outside the museum. I mean, who the hell doesn't want to get on a huge tire swing, play musical instruments or lay on a hammock made of glass?! Just blown away amazed with this place! Thank you!!!

Another museum that's a must to do! Get to know your US nation history. Go beyond what you learned…read morein HS. Amazing

MOCAD is a great little spot located off Woodward in Detroit…read more It is quaint & the time to get through the museum is quicker than most museums. The set up is perfect for the featured artists. There are discounts for veterans also. There is a cafe located at the end of the tour. This is also an event space!

Here's another gem in the city. I've visited this museum on several occasions as well. The first…read moretime was to see the artwork on display. They were featuring a local artist from Detroit at the time. The museum is big on the outside but inside there isn't many pieces of art. It's contemporary which I enjoy. The other portion of the museum is used for shows/events. I went a few weeks ago to see Terri Lyne Carrington and Mickalene Thomas do a collaboration. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! I would definitely recommend visiting when there's an event taking place.

My visit to PuppetArt was the first in a series of circumstantial events that made me learn to love…read moreDetroit. A Chi-town friend asked me if I'd like to go to see a Russian puppet show. It's not like there are Russian puppet theatres in every city, so we had to go all the way to Detroit. I said yes, of course. This was back in 2009, some ten Detroit vacations ago. Honestly I'm really not that into puppets, even Russian ones, but I can attest that the show I saw was remarkable in its ability to captivate and soothe a house full of hyperactive children. This is a low-key spot, and they have sort of a puppet museum in the lobby. It really seems like the perfect place to bring kids. I had less luck paying attention from my seat, sandwiched between a four year old in front and his mother in back. "I GOT A EYE VIEW," the mother whispered through her teeth and at her child. "KEEP QUIET OR I'LL HIT YOU WITH MY STICK!" For the next 45 minutes, all I could think about was how I'd better behave.

Have you seen the show "Dream Tigers" at the PuppetArt Theater??? We have! It has AWESOME…read morepuppets. They teach you about the 4 puppet families before the show starts. We were shocked that real people were in the puppet show. We thought it would be ONLY puppets. We really liked the character Nino. He was so funny, like an "animal trapped in a boy body"! The show was funny, but a little bit scary sometimes. It was EPIC. The witch scared us but we were okay. You need to go see it too! - Detroit 1st Graders (who went there on a field trip)

This place has many different locations inside the campus…read more This was my first time visiting the planetarium. OMG the mineral exhibit is spectacular. Please make it a point to check them out online and in person the events hosted has a wonderful selection and the people attending are so nice.

This is an amazing space! There is a lot more to see and do that. I did not show, but this is a…read moreperfect place to take children (and adults) who love science. There are different exhibits with varying levels of hands on experiences. Check their website for days and hours I also found out they have a "Free First Friday" experience each month.

This is a free museum in the University of Michigan. All the artifacts are dig by the professor and…read morestudents. The collection is displayed on two floors. The first floor is the ancient Middle East, Egypt, Cyprus and Greece. The upstair has Roman and special collections. The collection is very ancient and interesting. The visit takes 30 minutes.

I went here the other day to check out the museum. Needed to write an essay for an English college…read moreclass; so, I came here. The people there are super nice and knowledgeable. I'll definitely come back.

She did such a great job reading me. Everything she was saying I understood, it always blows my…read moremind the gifts that some people have.

I wanted to write an updated review of Downtown Tarot Company because they are truly a GEM of…read moredowntown Rochester and I'm so grateful that they exist! Since my last review in 2021, I have frequented this shop a TON and this year I basically have gone every week. I have gotten very into the metaphysical, so I initially began shopping here more frequently because of their incredible and diverse crystal selection. I particularly love their mystery bags that the employees intentionally and thoughtfully curate! They are great to buy for yourself or your loved ones and it's a unique and thoughtful kind of gift that those who are interested in crystals, incense, candles, and holistic goodies will really appreciate! I've also done two different tarot readings, one was a 15 minute walk in that I was able to pop in and do in the same day, and the other one was a thoughtful gift my friend had gotten me. Both readings were so lovely and spot on as well! As of this year, I've begun to take their CLASSES! They offer a ton of incredible classes, taught by their incredible employees who are subject matter experts in their fields! I've taken Tarot 1 (January 2025), Tarot 2 (February 2025), and Lenormand (April 2025) classes with Janis and The Magic of Astrology (March 2025) with Jorie! All have been incredible and hence why I keep coming back! Be sure to pay attention to their class offerings as the ones so far I've signed up for are multi-week ones, but they also offer one-time, one-off classes and I have a couple of those coming up in the next few months here! It is always the most incredible time at Downtown Tarot Company! Everyone who works here is so friendly and welcoming, very helpful to any and all questions you might have, and are always open to suggestions on what other merchandise you want to see in the store!!