diff --git a/doc/api/collections_api.rst b/doc/api/collections_api.rst
index 8f3f92c4e756..a62dbc0136cf 100644
--- a/doc/api/collections_api.rst
+++ b/doc/api/collections_api.rst
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ collections
    :members:
    :undoc-members:
    :show-inheritance:
+   :inherited-members:
diff --git a/doc/users/whats_new.rst b/doc/users/whats_new.rst
index 95e64afedb8d..3683b1b23b48 100644
--- a/doc/users/whats_new.rst
+++ b/doc/users/whats_new.rst
@@ -202,6 +202,19 @@ show with an int, slice object, numpy fancy indexing, or float. Using a float
 shows markers at approximately equal display-coordinate-distances along the
 line.
 
+Added size related functions to specialized `Collections`
+`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
+
+Added the `get_size` and `set_size` functions to control the size of
+elements of specialized collections (
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.AsteriskPolygonCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.BrokenBarHCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.CircleCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.PathCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.PolyCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.RegularPolyCollection`
+:class:`~matplotlib.collections.StarPolygonCollection`).
+
 
 Fixed the mouse coordinates giving the wrong theta value in Polar graph
 ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/collections.py b/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
index 26798b66003b..b573d3bb9e21 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
@@ -710,9 +710,30 @@ class _CollectionWithSizes(Collection):
     Base class for collections that have an array of sizes.
     """
     def get_sizes(self):
+        """
+        Returns the sizes of the elements in the collection.  The
+        value represents the 'area' of the element.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        sizes : array
+            The 'area' of each element.
+        """
         return self._sizes
 
     def set_sizes(self, sizes, dpi=72.0):
+        """
+        Set the sizes of each member of the collection.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        sizes : ndarray or None
+            The size to set for each element of the collection.  The
+            value is the 'area' of the element.
+
+        dpi : float
+            The dpi of the canvas. Defaults to 72.0.
+        """
         if sizes is None:
             self._sizes = np.array([])
             self._transforms = np.empty((0, 3, 3))