Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center

The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center has been quietly running on “art for all” since 1957 — one of the largest community art centers in the Midwest, tucked on Cranbrook Road just outside downtown Birmingham. Its four exhibition galleries rotate work from local, regional, and national artists, and — the best part — the exhibitions and opening receptions are always free and open to the public. There’s also a Gallery Shop stocked with genuinely nice, affordable artisan-made pieces.

Whether you come to see a show, take a class (they run hundreds, from ceramics to metalsmithing), or just browse the shop for a gift, it’s a low-key, low-cost cultural stop. We have it on our list as an easy, free way to fold some art into a Birmingham afternoon — pair it with a farmers market morning downtown. Check what’s on before you go.