Abundantly illustrated with over 800 color images, The Detroit Institute of Arts is a visual pleasure as well as a useful guide. Works are presented in related groups, as they appear in the museum's galleries. Written by the DIA curatorial staff, brief, accessible descriptions provide insight on the subject matter, symbolism, context, and cultural meaning of each object, helping readers and museum visitors to discover new ways of comprehending art and the world.

Unlike other museum books which simply catalog and analyze individual works, The Detroit Institute of Arts emphasizes the universality of visual language and its ability to assist viewers in communicating with people from diverse cultures and from distant times and places.

The Detroit Institute of Arts also features a time line of the museum's history and the development of its collection, a glossary, answers to frequently asked questions, and an index. Special connections to Detroit's artists and collectors are noted throughout the book.