Famous people's places / Bloomfield Hills
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Eliel Saarinen's graduate art academy and museum, one of America's most influential design schools, whose students included Charles and Ray Eames and Harry Bertoia.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
Eliel Saarinen designed and led this graduate art academy from its 1932 founding until 1950, shaping it, together with the museum and library building he designed in 1942, into one of the most influential design schools in America. Its faculty and students read like a who's who of 20th-century design: Charles and Ray Eames studied and developed their molded-plywood furniture here, Harry Bertoia studied on scholarship and ran the metal workshop, Florence Knoll studied architecture under Saarinen, ceramicist Maija Grotell led the ceramics department for 28 years, and sculptor Carl Milles taught and placed dozens of his works across the campus. Eliel's son Eero Saarinen also studied and later taught here, and painter Zoltan Sepeshy taught for decades before becoming the academy's president. The academy's museum today holds major collections tied to its faculty, including sculptor Duane Hanson, who earned his MFA here in 1951. Cranbrook Academy of Art remains a small, highly selective graduate school, still centered on Saarinen's original campus.
- Founded and led by Eliel Saarinen from 1932 to 1950
- Charles and Ray Eames developed molded-plywood furniture here
- Harry Bertoia and Florence Knoll both studied here
- Ceramicist Maija Grotell led the department for 28 years
- Sculptor Carl Milles placed dozens of works across campus
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 19
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Eero Saarinen 1910–1961 · architect, industrial designer
Studied here
Where he took sculpture and furniture courses as a youth and later taught alongside his father.
- Eliel Saarinen 1873–1950 · architect, urban planner
Worked here
The academy he led as president and the museum-and-library building he designed (1942).
- Fumihiko Maki 1928–2024 · architect
Studied here
Where he earned his master's degree in architecture in 1953.
- Carl Milles 1875–1955 · sculptor
Worked here
Where he lived, taught and placed dozens of sculptures and fountains across the campus.
- Jaime Ray Newman born 1978 · actress, producer, singer
Studied here
Private school on the Cranbrook campus; Newman won three straight state drama titles here and graduated in 1996.
- Charles Eames 1907–1978 · designer, architect, filmmaker
Studied here
Where he studied architecture on a fellowship, taught industrial design and developed his first molded-plywood furniture.
- Duane Hanson 1925–1996 · sculptor
Studied here
Where he earned his MFA in 1951; the museum holds his work.
- Ray Eames 1912–1988 · artist, designer
Studied here
Where she studied, met Charles Eames and worked on the Organic Design competition entry.
- Florence Knoll 1917–2019 · architect, interior and furniture designer
Studied here
Where she studied architecture under Eliel Saarinen.
- Harry Bertoia 1915–1978 · sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer
Studied here
Where he studied on scholarship and then ran the metal workshop.
- Nick Cave born 1959 · sculptor, performance artist
Studied here
Where he earned his MFA in fiber art in 1989.
- Maija Grotell 1899–1973 · ceramic artist, teacher
Worked here
Where she headed the ceramics department for 28 years.
- Bob Woodruff born 1961 · television journalist
Studied here
The Cranbrook private school he graduated from in 1979.
- Géza Maróti 1875–1941 · sculptor, architect, applied artist
Worked here
Saarinen's campus in Bloomfield Hills, for which Maróti made sculptural work.
- Toshiko Takaezu 1922–2011 · ceramic artist, painter, weaver
Studied here
Where she studied with Grotell, McVey and Strengell, assisted Grotell and taught summer courses.
- McArthur Binion born 1946 · painter
Studied here
Where he earned his MFA in 1973; the museum staged Binion/Saarinen in 2018.
- Ruth Adler Schnee 1923–2023 · textile and interior designer
Studied here
Where she earned her MFA under Eliel Saarinen.
- Pipsan Saarinen Swanson 1905–1979 · interior, textile and industrial designer
Worked here
Where she worked on campus interiors and taught contemporary furniture design.
- Zoltan Sepeshy 1898–1974 · painter, art educator
Worked here
Where he taught painting and later served as director and president.
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¼ · Free museum days
Free days here
- October8ThursdayEvery Thursday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.Free for everyone
- October15ThursdayEvery Thursday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.Free for everyone
- October22ThursdayEvery Thursday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.Free for everyone
- October29ThursdayEvery Thursday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.Free for everyone
- Michigan public library card holders, with a pass reserved online Full access any day except special events and openings.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
Oct 22, 2026, 5:30 PMAdult ArtMaking Workshop: Polymer Projects
Cranbrook Art Museum hosts an artist-led workshop on Thursday, October 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Cranbrook Art Museum Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. Work with polymer clay—think magnets, charms, or a mini bud vase. $25 per participant, ages 16+, pre-registration required; materials provided.
Oct 24, 2026, 10:30 AMAdult ArtMaking Workshop: Polymer Projects
Cranbrook Art Museum hosts an artist-led adult artmaking workshop on Saturday, October 24, at 10:30 a.m. at the museum’s Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. Work with polymer clay, choose your own project, and all materials are provided. $25 per person, pre-registration required, ages 16+.
Oct 24, 2026, 1:30 PMFamily Workshop: Polymer Clay Magnets
Cranbrook Art Museum’s family workshop runs Saturday, October 24, at 1:30 p.m. in the Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills: make bright polymer clay fridge magnets with an artist leading the way. $15 per participant, pre-registration required, materials provided.
Nov 5, 2026, 5:30 PMAdult ArtMaking Workshop: Block Weaving
Cranbrook Art Museum hosts a two-hour Block Weaving workshop on Thursday, November 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Cranbrook Art Museum, Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. A relaxing, color-and-texture-focused weaving on a wooden block frame ready to hang. $25 per participant, ages 16+, preregistration required, materials provided.
Dec 3, 2026, 5:30 PMAdult ArtMaking Workshop: Anna Sui Accessories
Cranbrook Art Museum hosts an Adult ArtMaking Workshop on Thursday, December 3, at 5:30 p.m. at the Cranbrook Art Museum Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. Create your own accessories inspired by decades of Anna Sui’s work on view. $25 per participant, pre-registration required; materials provided; ages 16+.
Dec 5, 2026, 10:30 AMAdult ArtMaking Workshop: Anna Sui Accessories
Cranbrook Art Museum’s artist-led Adult ArtMaking Workshop runs Saturday, December 5, at 10:30 a.m. in the Cranbrook Art Museum Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. Make your own accessories inspired by decades of Anna Sui’s work on view. $25 per participant, ages 16+, pre-registration required; materials provided.
Dec 5, 2026, 1:30 PMFamily Workshop: Anna Sui Fairytale Design
Cranbrook Art Museum hosts a family workshop on Saturday, December 5, at 1:30 p.m. in the Art Lab in Bloomfield Hills. Create headpiece and brooch-inspired designs from Anna Sui’s collections on view, led by an artist. Pre-registration required; all materials provided; $15 per participant.