Corcoran Gallery Of Art

Lonely Planet review

In a beautiful 1897 beaux-arts building overlooking the Ellipse, the Corcoran exhibits American and European masterworks, with an emphasis on 19th- and early-20th-century American artists. Special exhibits often focus on particular artists or historical themes, such as Lichtenstein's sculptures and drawings or the art of the Harlem Renaissance. The Corcoran is particularly known for its surveys of historic and modern photography.

It also houses the College of Art & Design and mounts intriguing exhibits of its students' work.

Café des Artistes, in the 1st floor atrium, is an elegant restaurant serving light lunch fare. A weekly Sunday gospel brunch features area singers, and jazz musicians play Thursday evenings.

Behind the Corcoran, on E St NW between 18th and 20th Sts NW, pretty Rawlins Park is named for President US Grant's Secretary of War. With goldfish in its little pond and blooming magnolias in spring and summer, it's among downtown DC's most charming oases.

In 2006, after years of setbacks, the Corcoran finally commissioned famed Spanish Guggenheim architect Frank Gehry to construct a stunning third wing. When completed in 2009 it is expected to house sculptures on the north side of the building.