This includes special exhibitions and permanent collection.
Huntington celebrates the Flint Institute of Arts by providing everyone access free of charge every Saturday.
Huntington’s “Welcome” philosophy is a perfect fit for Free Saturdays at the Flint Institute of Arts and an open invitation for all to come, see, and experience art. Throughout its 150-year history, Huntington has committed to a full scope of community investments from business growth, affordable housing and financial education to sustaining a better quality of life through support of arts and education.
John Henry, FIA Executive Director said “we are very grateful to Huntington for making our communities better places to live by providing everyone access to the FIA’s extraordinary collection and temporary exhibitions each week without charge. The increased activity on Huntington Free Saturdays generates a level of energy and enthusiasm which makes our museum a truly exciting place to be.
The Flint Institute of Arts has partnered with the Institute of Museum and Library Services to participate in Museums for All, a cooperative initiative created to give all families from all backgrounds the opportunity to become a regular visitor of museums.
Present your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and a valid photo ID to a Visitor Services Representative at the FIA Lobby front desk. This will allow up to 4 individuals per EBT card admission to the museum for free. This benefit is exclusively reserved for admission to the museum and cannot be applied to any special events or programs at the FIA and may not be used in the FIA Museum Shop, at The Palette Café, or in the FIA Art School.
Your Tax Dollars at Work
Thanks to the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage, Genesee County residents receive free museum admission every day at the Flint Institute of Arts.
The FIA is thankful to have the support of Genesee County voters, who recognize the benefit of not only the visual arts, but also the value of the other cultural institutions included in the millage funding: The Flint Institute of Music, The Whiting Auditorium and the Capitol Theatre, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint School of the Performing Arts, Flint Repertory Theatre, Sloan Museum, Longway Planetarium, the New McCree Theatre, Friends of Berston, and the Greater Flint Arts Council.
Together, these organizations help make our community even more vibrant, offering programming designed to be accessible to all citizens. Visit the FIA to see your tax dollars at work!
Visitor Information
What to know before you visit the FIA.
Visitor Services Our knowledgeable Visitor Services team is eager to greet you when you enter the Lobby of the Flint Institute of Arts. They are waiting to direct you in beginning your self-guided tour throughout the galleries, with audio guides and a detailed floor plan of the grounds. They are able to answer any questions about the museum, or assist you with any of your concerns.
Conduct Gum, food and drinks are not permitted in the galleries. Visitors are asked not to touch any of the artwork in the FIA. Works of art are very fragile, even those made of stone and metal. Salts and oil residues from visitors' hands destroy the surfaces of works of art over time. It is our responsibility to preserve and protect the works of art in our public trust for future generations.
Photography Photography for personal use is permitted in permanent collection galleries, except where “No Photography” is noted on an object’s label with the symbol above. Photography in temporary exhibition galleries is not permitted. Photographs may not be published, distributed or sold for commercial purposes. Flash photography, tripods, and selfie-sticks are not permitted in the museum.
Coat Check Free coat check service is offered to visitors at the Visitor Service desk at the North entrance of the building. Large purses, bags, backpacks, packages, umbrellas must be checked. Lockers are available free of charge for such items. Strollers may also be checked.
Parking Free parking is available on both the North and South entrances of the building. Overflow parking is available using Flint Central High School's parking lot, adjacent to the South end of the FIA. Click here for directions.
Public Transportation The FIA is located on Fixed Route 14: Downtown/Campus route of the MTA (Mass Transportation Authority) in Flint.
Restrooms Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available in the lobby, in the Art School and on the second floor.
Wheelchairs The entire Institute is wheelchair accessible through both North and South entrances, and an elevator is located near the first floor restrooms. Wheelchairs are available to use free of charge on a first come first served basis at the Visitor Service desk at the North entrance of the building. Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available in the lobby, in the Art School and on the second floor.
Assistance Companions or caregivers of persons with disabilities are admitted free of charge to the museum. The FIA's Visitor Service team is prepared to give assistance to those in need.
Service Animals The FIA complies with all ADA requirements and accepts service animals in the museum as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2010. Types of Service Dogs may include, but are not limited to: Guide Dog, Mobility Aid Dog, Seizure Alert Dog, PTSD Dog, Hearing Alert Dog, Diabetes Alert Dog, Migraine Alert Dog, Narcolepsy Alert Dog, Seizure Response Dog, Psychiatric Service Dog.
Emotional Support Animals The FIA does not allow Emotional Support Animals (ESA) on site. Emotional Support Animals or Comfort Animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals, are not considered service animals under the ADA. Types of Emotional Support Animals may include, but are not limited to: companionship animals; animals to relieve loneliness; animals to help with depression; animals to help with anxiety; animals to help with certain phobias.
Listening Devices Listening devices are available for use with Audio Guides.
Enchroma Glasses Three pairs of Enchroma colorblind vision correcting glasses are available free of charge to FIA visitors for patrons who experience red/green color vision deficiencies.
Visiting Flint Once again, the City of Flint is becoming a bustling hub of activity. New restaurants, bars, art studios, lofts, attractions, specialty shops, and façades are transforming the streets to reflect a time of change. Stop into one of these local businesses during your stay here at the Flint Institute of Arts and experience some great food, art, and shopping!
Parking is available on the street or in secured paid parking lots/ramps.
Greater Flint Arts Council is providing grants in Genesee County to build the capacity of local arts organizations to reach their potential in transforming our communities into vibrant, inclusive destinations with a unique sense of place. Art can be a powerful way for multiple narratives to be heard, seen, and included in the knowledge and experiences of a community. The arts can build a sense of community through shared experiences, improve the quality of our lives by providing outlets for the creativity inherent in all of us, and stimulate economic development by attracting visitors to our community.
Apply for a grant here. The deadline is April 1, 2019.
Referring to the aesthetic movement, with its emphasis on beauty over substance, Oscar Wilde wrote in his preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, “All art is quite useless.” This exhibition demonstrates that art can be both beautiful and useful, highlighting decorative arts from...
Harmony in Expression: The Myron and Barbara Levine Print Collection
This exhibition of 20th-century prints by European and American artists, including Karel Appel, Jim Dine, Ruth Weisberg, and Adja Yunkers, highlights the recent gift of Myron and Barbara Ruth Levine. As collectors, Myron and Barbara (“Mike and Bobbie”) were unified...
This exhibition demonstrates the fascination artists have had in depicting aspects of industry in the United States. Since the early 19th century, American artists have taken the buildings and factories in which raw materials are processed to manufacture goods as their subject. Some artists portrayed these buildings in optimistic and...
Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850–1940
Amid the cultural, political, and economic shifts that shaped the decades between 1850 and 1940, American painters developed fresh ways of depicting the country and its people, creating new visions of life in the United States. Through their diverse representations, the...
Have you ever looked at a work of art and wondered, “What is that made of?” Perhaps it’s a ceramic vase that looks like glass, or a wood sculpture that looks like bone. Artists often manipulate the properties of one medium to appear like something else. The contemporary objects in...
This display of important paperweights from a local collector acts as a “postscript” to the recent Small Worlds exhibition of weights from the FIA collection and private collections. Featuring 60 weights from the collection of Lansing-based Eileen Ellis, this exhibition highlights major works by such manufacturers as Pantin, Baccarat, and...
This display of important paperweights from a local collector acts as a “postscript” to the recent Small Worlds exhibition of weights from the FIA collection and private collections. Featuring 60 weights from the collection of Lansing-based Eileen Ellis, this exhibition highlights major works by such manufacturers as Pantin, Baccarat, and...
Referring to the aesthetic movement, with its emphasis on beauty over substance, Oscar Wilde wrote in his preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, “All art is quite useless.” This exhibition demonstrates that art can be both beautiful and useful, highlighting decorative arts from...
Have you ever looked at a work of art and wondered, “What is that made of?” Perhaps it’s a ceramic vase that looks like glass, or a wood sculpture that looks like bone. Artists often manipulate the properties of one medium to appear like something else. The contemporary objects in...
Harmony in Expression: The Myron and Barbara Levine Print Collection
This exhibition of 20th-century prints by European and American artists, including Karel Appel, Jim Dine, Ruth Weisberg, and Adja Yunkers, highlights the recent gift of Myron and Barbara Ruth Levine. As collectors, Myron and Barbara (“Mike and Bobbie”) were unified...
This exhibition demonstrates the fascination artists have had in depicting aspects of industry in the United States. Since the early 19th century, American artists have taken the buildings and factories in which raw materials are processed to manufacture goods as their subject. Some artists portrayed these buildings in optimistic and...
Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850–1940
Amid the cultural, political, and economic shifts that shaped the decades between 1850 and 1940, American painters developed fresh ways of depicting the country and its people, creating new visions of life in the United States. Through their diverse representations, the...
This display of important paperweights from a local collector acts as a “postscript” to the recent Small Worlds exhibition of weights from the FIA collection and private collections. Featuring 60 weights from the collection of Lansing-based Eileen Ellis, this exhibition highlights major works by such manufacturers as Pantin, Baccarat, and...
This exhibition demonstrates the fascination artists have had in depicting aspects of industry in the United States. Since the early 19th century, American artists have taken the buildings and factories in which raw materials are processed to manufacture goods as their subject. Some artists portrayed these buildings in optimistic and...
Have you ever looked at a work of art and wondered, “What is that made of?” Perhaps it’s a ceramic vase that looks like glass, or a wood sculpture that looks like bone. Artists often manipulate the properties of one medium to appear like something else. The contemporary objects in...
Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850–1940
Amid the cultural, political, and economic shifts that shaped the decades between 1850 and 1940, American painters developed fresh ways of depicting the country and its people, creating new visions of life in the United States. Through their diverse representations, the...
Harmony in Expression: The Myron and Barbara Levine Print Collection
This exhibition of 20th-century prints by European and American artists, including Karel Appel, Jim Dine, Ruth Weisberg, and Adja Yunkers, highlights the recent gift of Myron and Barbara Ruth Levine. As collectors, Myron and Barbara (“Mike and Bobbie”) were unified...
Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850–1940
Amid the cultural, political, and economic shifts that shaped the decades between 1850 and 1940, American painters developed fresh ways of depicting the country and its people, creating new visions of life in the United States. Through their diverse representations, the...
This exhibition demonstrates the fascination artists have had in depicting aspects of industry in the United States. Since the early 19th century, American artists have taken the buildings and factories in which raw materials are processed to manufacture goods as their subject. Some artists portrayed these buildings in optimistic and...
Have you ever looked at a work of art and wondered, “What is that made of?” Perhaps it’s a ceramic vase that looks like glass, or a wood sculpture that looks like bone. Artists often manipulate the properties of one medium to appear like something else. The contemporary objects in...
Harmony in Expression: The Myron and Barbara Levine Print Collection
This exhibition of 20th-century prints by European and American artists, including Karel Appel, Jim Dine, Ruth Weisberg, and Adja Yunkers, highlights the recent gift of Myron and Barbara Ruth Levine. As collectors, Myron and Barbara (“Mike and Bobbie”) were unified...
Referring to the aesthetic movement, with its emphasis on beauty over substance, Oscar Wilde wrote in his preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, “All art is quite useless.” This exhibition demonstrates that art can be both beautiful and useful, highlighting decorative arts from...
This display of important paperweights from a local collector acts as a “postscript” to the recent Small Worlds exhibition of weights from the FIA collection and private collections. Featuring 60 weights from the collection of Lansing-based Eileen Ellis, this exhibition highlights major works by such manufacturers as Pantin, Baccarat, and...
Visions of American Life: Paintings from the Manoogian Collection, 1850–1940
Amid the cultural, political, and economic shifts that shaped the decades between 1850 and 1940, American painters developed fresh ways of depicting the country and its people, creating new visions of life in the United States. Through their diverse representations, the...
Commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a full day of free activities that emphasize identity, unity, and community engagement at the Flint Public Library and the Flint Institute of Arts.
At 2:00p, Communities First, Inc. President Glenn Wilson hosts a program at the Flint Public...
A Manner of Space: Black Modality in African American Art
Saturday, January 25
6:00pm
Location: FIA Theater
Dr. Kelli MorganAssociate Curator of American Art , Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
As early as the 18th century, the recognition of Black humanity has been a central tenet of African American art. Whether it’s Phillis Wheatley, Toni Morrison, Romare Bearden, or Kara Walker, Black artists have fused a...
In conjunction with the exhibition, the 13th Annual Community Gala is a diversity initiative presented in conjunction with the exhibition opening of Community and a celebration of Black History Month. The evening includes a lecture by Dr. Kelli Morgan, followed by the opening, a strolling dinner, live entertainment, and a...
Semaj BrownAuthor, dramatist, playwright, and educator
Semaj Brown, Flint’s First Poet Laureate, reads poetry inspired by art in the Community exhibition, and performs works from her new book, Bleeding Fire! Tap the Eternal Spring of Regenerative Light.
Book discussions focus on works of fiction and non-fiction related to art, art museums, or FIA collections. The first meeting for each book sets the stage by exploring artists and artwork related to the selected book. Two weeks later, the book is discussed. These free programs are offered on Wednesdays at 1:30p.
Give your child the best in art education with our classes designed especially for homeschoolers. Choose from monthly and three-part programs for ages 6-18. Weekly programs are offered for ages 3-5.
Art à la Carte is a series of informative programs focusing on the arts. It is offered free of charge on Wednesdays at 12:15p. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch or pick up something from The Palette café. Coffee, tea, and cookies are provided. All programs are held in the FIA’s Isabel Hall.