“And I thought it was interesting to come in here and see the murals depicting the diversity of the plant.”

Throughout the museum, many of the signs that describe each object share the same four words: “City of Detroit Purchase.”

That is what makes the DIA different from most other major museums in America. The city of Detroit owns the DIA building and most of its collections.

Kevyn Orr is Detroit’s emergency manager. He asked about the DIA’s collections before he filed for bankruptcy protection for the city. The art world and many residents of Detroit were shocked and angered.

“It’s a slam against all the citizens of this city and a slam against the citizens of the whole area here.”

That is bookseller John King. He has lived in Detroit all his life. He remained in the city even as its population shrank. Mr. King says the DIA is important to what is left of Detroit’s spirit. He says he hopes those owed money by Detroit do not force the sale of the collection.

“It’s sad they’re even talking about going after that asset. I mean they have other assets they could go after, and they shouldn’t really be touching the Detroit Institute of Arts.”

Amiyatosh Purnanandan is a finance professor in the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He says the total value of the DIA’s collection is far below the amount Detroit owes.