Top Rated Attractions in Detroit

View nearly 60,000 amazing works of art at the Detroit Institute of the Arts. 100 galleries are filled with sculptures, paintings, and other artworks that will fascinate. The Thinker, the famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin is placed near the entrance. Permanent collections in the museum include Islamic, Flemish, pre-Columbian, European, African, Asian, and American art. Cultural events are held throughout the year at the auditorium and recital hall.

This small history museum features interesting exhibits about Detroit's history. Stroll down cobblestone, cedar block and brick streets past scale models of 19th Century shops in the Streets of Old Detroit exhibit. In the Doorway to Freedom exhibit you'll learn about the city's key role in the Underground Railroad that helped escaped slaves find freedom in Canada. You'll also learn about Detroit's emergence as an automobile manufacturing center, the history of the city's music scene, and so much more.

It is just befitting for the former headquarters of Motown Records Corporation to be a repository of this famous label. Motown Museum is an integral part of Detroit's cultural landscape and the country's musical legacy. Chronicling the most reputed African-American record labels in the nation where musical legends such as The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Temptations, Funk Brothers and Gladys Knight became stars, it is a true ode to music that inspired generations of music lovers.

This promenade in Downtown Detroit runs along the Detroit River from the Joe Louis Arena to Rivard Plaza. The RiverWalk is a popular destination for various activities including walking, jogging, and rollerblading. The RiverWalk passes through and by a number of area landmarks, including the Tri-Centennial State Park Lighthouse, the Detroit River and Hart Plaza with its Underground Railroad Memorial. It's a great destination for the whole family, and even includes a spouting fountain for kids and people of all ages to play in on a hot day.

One of the world's largest museums of African American history and culture, this impressive building opened in 1997 and is named after the local doctor and activist who first established it. With 120,000 square feet (11148 meters) of exhibit space, the Charles H. Wright Museum includes several exhibit galleries, a research library, classrooms and a museum store. The anchor exhibit, “Of the People: The African American Experience,” uses Detroit's own history to tell the story of the African-American experience in the United States. Previously, much smaller incarnations of the museum existed, dating back to 1965.

One of the many spirited attractions in downtown Detroit, Comerica Park is an extensive verdant field which has been a host to some iconic sporting events and concerts in the past. Named after the bank whose funds made its creation possible, Comerica Park overlooks some of the soaring high-rises residing in the city's downtown. Home ground of the Detroit Tigers, this sprawling ballpark is anything but a run-of-the-mill, neighborhood stadium. Strewn across its course are glorious tiger statues, a baseball-themed Ferris wheel, and the enormous Chevrolet Fountain. Hence, Comerica Park harbors a lively, further amplified by enthusiastic cheers and celebrations when the Tigers hit a home run. The ballpark is also home to the Big Cat Court, which offers a wealth of delectable foods like pretzels, deli sandwiches, French fries, Chicago-style hot dogs and more.