June 2, 2025 — The Detroit Institute of Arts today announced that its newly reimagined African American art galleries will formally open to the public in October 2025.  This transformational reinstallation moves the presentation of select works from the DIA’s renowned African American art collection to the center of the institution — adjacent the iconic Diego Rivera murals at Rivera Court — making this constellation of works more visible and accessible to all visitors. 

“Benefiting from the highest level of curatorial expertise, The Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the first museums in the world to build and show an extraordinary collection of African American art in dedicated galleries,” said DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons. “With this groundbreaking installation located in the galleries adjacent to Rivera Court, the heart of the DIA’s art experience, our visitors will be immersed in the history of African American Art from the early 1800s to 1980s like they never have seen before” 

In October, the newly reimagined African American art galleries will move from their prior position in the North Wing on the museum’s second floor to encompass four gallery rooms in the central corridor next to the beloved Rivera Court. The galleries will showcase 50 works — including paintings, sculpture, prints, photography and furniture —illuminating a wide range of artists and genres, from 1840-1986. The enhanced accessibility of the galleries will deepen the visitor experience and provide the museum greater opportunity to display themes, such as historic events, relation to current times, and connections to Detroit.  

The reinstallation of the African American Art galleries that will be presented in October is being organized by the DIA’s acclaimed Center for African American Art which was established in 2000 as the first curatorial department exclusively devoted to this art at a major fine arts or encyclopedic museum. Through the work of the Center, the DIA remains committed to increasing awareness of African American contributions to the arts community, and to highlighting African American history, society, and culture. The DIA’s collection of African American art includes approximately 700 works by noted artists Robert Seldon Duncanson, Richmond Barthe, Elizabeth Catlett, Edward Clark, Mavis Pusey, and more. 

“Our African American art collection represents some of the most powerful and transformative works in American art history,” said Valerie Mercer, Curator & Head, Center for African American Art at the DIA. “The new gallery design allows us to better tell the story of African American art and present these works in conversation with each other across time periods, creating a richer context for understanding their significance. We will also be able to display and elevate works from our collection and present them in ways that highlight their artistic innovation and cultural impact.” 

The completion of the newly redesigned African American galleries represents the first phase in a larger, planned transformation of the museum’s second floor North Wing, which also includes redesigns of the Modern and Contemporary sections. Each reimagination is developed with a goal to enhance the visitor experience and allow for additional and new works from the collection to be viewed. The planned completion for the entire transformation is slated for 2026.  

Details about the grand opening of the DIA’s new African American art galleries, as well as additional programing and events, will be announced at a later date leading up to October 2025. More information about the reinstallation, events, and artworks included in the new galleries can be found at dia.org/events/exhibitions/reimagining-african-american-art.