Saturday is all about exploring Detroit’s most iconic outdoor art. You’ll spend quite a bit of time outside, so make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.
9:30 a.m. – Visit the Heidelberg Project
Start your morning by driving to the Heidelberg Project in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. Don’t worry – you’ll definitely know when you arrive, as this street is unlike any other in Detroit.
The Heidelberg Project is an outdoor art installation created by Tyree Guyton in 1986, and is evolving to this day. Guyton grew up on this street (in what is now the Dotty Wotty house). He started the Heidelberg Project in response to the urban blight he noticed in his childhood neighborhood.
![Dotty Wotty House in Heidelberg Project]()
Using found objects and vacant lots, Guyton created a work of art that is now recognized in publications like the New York Times, and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors per year. Best of all, he’s providing art education and enrichment within the local community.
Be sure to download the Heidelberg Project app before your visit, which will guide you to the meaning behind the various installations.
10:30 a.m. – Discover the street art around Eastern Market
From the Heidelberg Project, drive over to the nearby Eastern Market. The Eastern Market is a beloved Detroit institution, known for its Saturday markets. In addition to the freshest produce in the city, this is also a major hotspot for some of Detroit’s best street art.
Each summer, apart from 2020, the Murals in the Market festival is held, and the street art around the market gets a facelift. You can explore the street art year-round, though, just know that it changes regularly.
![Mural in Eastern Market]()
It’s fun to wander the area, discovering murals as you go. Type-A art lovers might prefer a more organized approach, though. Use the official Murals in the Market map (which can be downloaded to your phone) to guide yourself to the area’s best murals.
12 p.m. – Eat brunch near Eastern Market
You’re probably getting hungry, so take a break and grab some brunch. There are plenty of restaurants around Eastern Market. For a quintessential “Detroit” experience, though, you’ll want to get a table at Vivio’s and experience their famous Loaded Bloody Mary, which is a work of art in and of itself.
1:30 p.m. – Walk the Dequindre Cut and admire the street art
The street art viewing continues in the afternoon, with a stroll down the Dequindre Cut Greenway. The Cut is a paved urban path that runs nearly two miles from Eastern Market to the East Riverfront. Enter via Gratiot Avenue, and take your time walking the path and admiring street art and graffiti on either side.
![Murals on the Dequindre Cut]()
Photo by Bill Bowen
3 p.m. – Make your way downtown via the Z Lot, Detroit’s artsiest parking garage
In the afternoon, head to downtown Detroit for more art, food, and drink. You can either walk here via the Cut, or park downtown.
You can even extend the art theme to which downtown parking garage you choose – this is Detroit after all! Park at the Z Lot off Library Street, which is known for not only its panoramic views of the Detroit skyline (from its top level), but also its art. The parking garage is decorated in 130 murals from a collaboration of 27 artists. Check out all ten levels to get the full experience. Plus, there is a great skyline view at the top of the garage.
![Z Lot]()
3:30 p.m. – Check out downtown’s art scene
The rest of your Saturday is dedicated to exploring the downtown Detroit art scene. While it’s still light out, make your way down to the Detroit riverfront and the Philip A. Hart Plaza. Besides stunning views toward Windsor, Canada, you can also explore the many sculptures along the riverfront.
Most famous of the riverfront sculptures is perhaps the Monument to Joe Louis, also called The Fist by Detroiters. The sculpture is a huge fist, suspended from a minimalist pyramid, with the high rises of downtown Detroit in the background. Joe Louis was a famous Detroit boxer, but also a civil rights activist, and artist Robert Graham designed the statue to represent Louis’ fight against racism.
![The Fist statue in Detroit]()
The Gateway to Freedom sculpture isn’t far from The Fist. Facing Windsor, Canada, the sculpture memorializes Detroit’s history as the last stop on the Underground Railroad.
In terms of murals, downtown Detroit has quite a few well-known ones that are worth a stop. A mural dedicated to Stevie Wonder is on the backside of Detroit’s Music Hall. There are two large-scale murals in Capitol Park, one by famed Detroit artist Charles McGee and one on the back wall of the Isaac Agree Synagogue. Plus, on Woodward Avenue, don’t miss your photo op with the wings mural by Kelsey Montague.
5 p.m. – Happy hour and street art in The Belt
After taking some time to explore downtown Detroit, head to The Belt, an art-filled alley adjacent to the Z Lot parking garage. The Belt is so named in honor of its past life as part of the downtown garment district. Today, it’s a go-to spot to view street murals, which line either side of the alley.
The Belt is also an ideal stop for some pre or post-dinner drinks. Stop at The Skip or Standby, both located in the alley, for some creative cocktails.
6 p.m. onwards – Dinner in downtown Detroit
The rest of your Saturday evening is up to you, but you’ll have to eat dinner at some point – so why not choose one of the artsier restaurants in downtown? Detroit is increasingly becoming a foodie destination, and some of its best-known restaurants are downtown.
Try San Morello in the Shinola Hotel for delectable Italian food with fine dining vibes. Wright & Co. is another good pick. Their executive chef is a recipient of a James Beard Award (so you know the food is good), and the views down Woodward Avenue are equally stunning.
If you want to make your way up Woodward for dinner, you can get an authentic Detroit experience at The Whitney. This fine dining restaurant is built in an 1890s mansion, so architecture and interior design lovers will be right at home.
![The Whitney mansion in Midtown Detroit]()