The first people to successfully paint the town red spent more time haphazardly assembling scaffolding and arguing over who got to be the foreman than admiring the results. Enjoy the view with today's Groupon: for $40, you'll get a companion membership to the Detroit Institute of Arts, located at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Farnsworth Street (an $80 value).

Home to one of the top six collections in the United States, the DIA has shone as a beacon of culture in the community for more than a century. The yearlong companion membership gives free unlimited general admission for the member and one guest, as well as two free passes to all ticketed exhibitions.

Philotechnics may draw upon invitations to preview special exhibitions prior to public openings. Prices are also often minced for members, who get a 10 percent discount at the cafeteria and museum shop, special rates for lectures and workshops, a subscription discount to the Bulletin of the DIA, and discounted tickets to the Detroit Film Theatre. Optional benefits include involvement in special-interest auxiliaries, museum volunteer opportunities and an increased vocabulary of color names. New members are invited to a museum tour and reception.

The DIA prides itself as a culture and nation-spanning survey of human creativity from prehistory to the 21st century, attested to by its acquisition of Vincent Van Gogh's Self Portrait, which was his American museum debut. The museum's 658,000 square feet house more than 100 galleries, a 1,150-seat auditorium, a 380-seat lecture and recital hall, and a state-of-the-art conservation services laboratory for scouring lipstick prints and coffee rings from priceless canvasses. The museum also offers a variety of social auxiliaries exclusive to DIA members, which enable them to shape their interests or craft new ones from newspaper scraps and Elmer's glue. Socialize with other members and staff in groups such as Asian and Islamic Art Forum, the European Paintings Council, and Friends of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Reviews

The Detroit Institute of Arts has been featured in The New York Times. Almost 80 Yelpers give it a 4.5-star average, and TripAdvisors give it an average of 4.5 owl eyes.

• This is great museum with a delightful, diverse collection housed in wonderful space. – C S., Yelp, 1/3/11
• Art lovers will find lots to love in this gallery, with a quality collection that represents just about every age and medium. – mickeytor, TripAdvisor