Cranbrook Educational Community

Cranbrook Educational Community is a private educational complex in Bloomfield Hills that brings together schools, museums, and research centers across forested grounds. The buildings follow a unified design with brick facades and handcrafted details, surrounded by courtyards and gardens.

A newspaper publisher founded the institution in 1922 on his country estate and invited architects from Finland to design the buildings. Over the following decades, the complex grew and attracted artists, designers, and scientists from across the country.

The name comes from the founder's birthplace in England, where he grew up before making his fortune in America. Visitors walk through gardens lined with fountains and sculptures while students work in studios and libraries scattered across the wooded grounds.

The grounds cover a large area, so visitors should wear comfortable shoes to walk between buildings and gardens. The art museums and science collections are open to the public while the school areas remain reserved for students.

The architects created a system of waterways and ponds that flow through the entire site and connect the buildings to each other. Many of the original furniture pieces and lamps were designed specifically for the rooms and remain in use today.

Location: Bloomfield Hills

Inception: 1922

Architects: Eliel Saarinen

Industry: higher education

Address: 39221 Woodward Avenue

Website: http://cranbrook.edu

GPS coordinates: 42.56761,-83.24358

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:26