diff --git a/bindings/python/dlite-entity-python.i b/bindings/python/dlite-entity-python.i
index c65c9ede2..6700e1ef4 100644
--- a/bindings/python/dlite-entity-python.i
+++ b/bindings/python/dlite-entity-python.i
@@ -376,19 +376,38 @@ def get_instance(
             f'"{self.uri if self.uri else self.meta.uri}"'
         )
 
-    meta = property(get_meta, doc="Reference to the metadata of this instance.")
-    dimensions = property(
-        lambda self: dict((d.name, int(v))
-                          for d, v in zip(self.meta['dimensions'],
-                                          self.get_dimensions())),
-        doc='Dictionary with dimensions name-value pairs.')
-    properties = property(lambda self:
-        {p.name: self[p.name] for p in self.meta['properties']},
-        doc='Dictionary with property name-value pairs.')
-    is_data = property(_is_data, doc='Whether this is a data instance.')
-    is_meta = property(_is_meta, doc='Whether this is a metadata instance.')
-    is_metameta = property(_is_metameta,
-                           doc='Whether this is a meta-metadata instance.')
+    @property
+    def meta(self):
+        """Reference to the metadata of this instance."""
+        return self.get_meta()
+
+    @property
+    def dimensions(self):
+        """Dictionary with dimensions name-value pairs."""
+        return dict(
+            (d.name, int(v))
+            for d, v in zip(self.meta['dimensions'], self.get_dimensions())
+        )
+
+    @property
+    def properties(self):
+        """Dictionary with property name-value pairs."""
+        return {p.name: self[p.name] for p in self.meta['properties']}
+
+    @property
+    def is_data(self):
+        """Whether this is a data instance."""
+        return self._is_data()
+
+    @property
+    def is_meta(self):
+        """Whether this is a metadata instance."""
+        return self._is_meta()
+
+    @property
+    def is_metameta(self):
+        """Whether this is a meta-metadata instance."""
+        return self._is_metameta()
 
     @classmethod
     def from_metaid(cls, metaid, dimensions, id=None):
diff --git a/bindings/python/dlite-entity.i b/bindings/python/dlite-entity.i
index f1d8e731c..0e5a0efd9 100644
--- a/bindings/python/dlite-entity.i
+++ b/bindings/python/dlite-entity.i
@@ -244,24 +244,22 @@ struct _Triple {
  * Instance
  * -------- */
 %feature("docstring", "\
-Returns a new instance.
-
-Instance(metaid=None, dims=None, id=None, url=None, storage=None, driver=None,
-         location=None, options=None, dimensions=None, properties=None,
-         description=None)
-
-    Is called from one of the following class methods defined in dlite.py:
-
-      - from_metaid(cls, metaid, dimensions, id=None)
-      - from_url(cls, url, metaid=None)
-      - from_storage(cls, storage, id=None, metaid=None)
-      - from_location(cls, driver, location, options=None, id=None)
-      - from_json(cls, jsoninput, id=None, metaid=None)
-      - from_bson(cls, bsoninput)
-      - from_dict(cls, d, id=None, single=None, check_storages=True)
-      - create_metadata(cls, uri, dimensions, properties, description)
-
-      For details, see the documentation for the class methods.
+Represents a DLite instance.
+
+This is the most central class in DLite.  It has a complex `__init__()`
+method and is intended to be instantiated with one of the following class
+methods:
+
+  - from_metaid(cls, metaid, dimensions, id=None)
+  - from_url(cls, url, metaid=None)
+  - from_storage(cls, storage, id=None, metaid=None)
+  - from_location(cls, driver, location, options=None, id=None)
+  - from_json(cls, jsoninput, id=None, metaid=None)
+  - from_bson(cls, bsoninput)
+  - from_dict(cls, d, id=None, single=None, check_storages=True)
+  - create_metadata(cls, uri, dimensions, properties, description)
+
+For details, see the documentation of the individual class methods.
 
 ") _DLiteInstance;
 %apply(int *IN_ARRAY1, int DIM1) {(int *dims, int ndims)};