International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit

The International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit (IIMD) was founded in 1919 by a group of YWCA volunteers who sought to help immigrants. It is now a United Way organization. It aims to serve immigrants and people who are interested in expressing their own ethnic heritage and learning about culture of other nations. Visit the International Doll Collection (over 35,000 dolls in ethnic dress) on the first floor and the international café on the lower level. You will not be disappointed.

Doll Museum at Indian River

Back in 1945 Sally Rogalski began dressing dolls in traditional nun habits to preserve a little bit of history of the Catholic Church. In 1964 she donated her collection to the National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods. Since then the collection has grown to over 525 dolls and 20 mannequins representing over 217 religious orders of priests, sisters and brothers. You have to see it to believe it. Doreen noticed a couple of Barbies and Kens that joined a religious order.