Saarinen House is Eliel Saarinen’s Art Deco masterwork and the jewel of Cranbrook’s architectural treasures. Designed in the late 1920s and located at the heart of Cranbrook Academy of Art, from 1930 through 1950 Saarinen House served as the home and studio of the Finnish-American designer Eliel Saarinen—Cranbrook’s first resident architect and the Art Academy’s first president and head of the Architecture Department—and Loja Saarinen—the Academy’s first head of the Weaving Department. The extraordinary interior, now impeccably restored, features the Saarinens’ original furnishings, including Eliel’s delicately veneered furniture and Loja’s sumptuous textiles, as well as early furniture designs by their son, Eero Saarinen.
The Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, in partnership with Cranbrook Art Museum, is responsible for stewarding the collections of Saarinen House and opening its doors to visitors from around the world.
Free admission during the Opening Reception. Please RSVP through the REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT button below.
During the 2019 Tour Season, all Saarinen House tours will include the temporary exhibition Studio Loja Saarinen: The Art and Architecture of Weaving, 1928-1942. The fifth in a series of interventions in the historic house, the show brings together rarely seen handwoven rugs and textiles produced at Cranbrook under the direction of Loja Saarinen.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Shoes
To protect the original carpeting and flooring in Saarinen House, you will be asked to remove your shoes and wear booties that will be provided.
Children
For the safety and comfort of all visitors, children younger than eight years old, including infants and toddlers, are not permitted on this tour.
Accessibility
Due to the historical status and intimate nature of the house, many rooms and passageways are very narrow and therefore the house is not wheelchair accessible. All tours are walking tours and guests must be able to walk and stand throughout most of the tour. The entrance to the house includes several steps and a tour of the second floor requires walking up and down the main stairwell. There are no places to sit down in the house itself.
Coats and Bags
Only small wallets and handheld cameras are permitted on the tours. Please leave all backpacks, purses, camera bags, camera equipment and other cumbersome items in vehicles. This policy was created for the security and protection of Saarinen House and its collection of fine and decorative art.
Restrooms
There are no public restroom facilities at the house itself; please use the facilities at Cranbrook Art Museum before beginning your tour.
PHOTO CREDITS
Photography by James Haefner. Courtesy of the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research.