Everyone has a favorite secret spot, but few are eager to share. For this year’s City Guide, we took on the challenge. Along with revealing a few of our own picks, we gathered recommendations from contributing writers, tour guides, and other insiders. And while logging in thousands of steps, we peeked behind closed doors and over balconies, and we ventured inside two completely off-the-grid locations that safeguard some of Detroit’s most precious artifacts.
While Park West’s art is sold on nearly 100 cruise ships around the world, you need only venture to Southfield to find some of its best work on display. Explore the largest collection of Picasso ceramics in the world — free of charge any day of the week. The 63,000-square-foot gallery, which opened in 1969, also boasts extensive works from renowned artists like Salvador Dali, Rembrandt, and Francisco Goya.
The museum’s founder, Albert Scaglione, started selling art after finishing a contract with NASA, where he worked on the Apollo program. Since then, the New Jersey native has transformed Park West into an international art fixture with galleries in New York, Miami, Honolulu, and Las Vegas. In the process, he developed lifelong relationships with renowned artists like pop-art pioneer Peter Max and Yaacov Agam, a founder of the kinetic art movement.
It’s clear that Scaglione applied his aeronautic attention to detail to the museum’s design and layout, with custom archways and intricate tiling throughout.
Park West Foundation
Established in 2006 by Scaglione and his wife, Mitsie, the Park West Foundation works to address the needs of foster care children who are aging out of the system. In addition to providing resources for children, PWF works to promote art education and environmental conservation.
More of Hour Detroit‘s “Hidden Detroit”
Things You May Have Missed at the Detroit Institute of ArtsSports, Hats, Scenic Spots, and ArtifactsConnecting with Old Detroit and Its Boozy PastUnder the Radar RetailRyan Patrick Hooper’s Favorite Food & Drink SpotsThe Guardian BuildingThe Artifact Collection of the Detroit Historical SocietyHenry Ford Museum’s Artifact CollectionFishing for Secrets at the Fisher Building
Art Galleries You May Have Overlooked
Places to See the City from a Bird’s-eye View
Views from a High-rise Window-cleaning Technician
This story originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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