Gallery sights in Washington, DC
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National Museum of Asian Art
The dangling sculpture Monkeys Grasping for the Moon, an image of a dozen stylized primates fashioned into the word ‘monkey’ in a like number of languages (including Japanese, Hebrew, braille and Urdu) is perhaps the most impressive piece of introductory art to welcome you to a Smithsonian institution – and a reminder that you have just entered a very special museum. The Arthur M Sackler Gallery (1050 Independence Ave SW) and Freer Gallery of Art (cnr 12 St & Jefferson Dr SW) combine to form the National Museum of Asian Art, one of the most pleasant Smithsonian museums in the capital. Make sure to visit them in tandem.
This is simply a lovely spot in which to while …
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Smithsonian American Art Museum
If you only visit one art museum in Washington, DC, make it this one, technically composed of two institutions. There is, simply put, no better collection of American art in the world. Collectively, these museums are known as the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The National Portrait Gallery is, in its way, a portrait of America, seizing and interpreting the nation’s visage by displaying her multiple faces throughout the ages. The Museum of American Art, on the other hand, exhibits the beauty and vision of those figures, the external aesthetic of the humanity so eloquently captured in the Portrait Gallery. Both occupy three floors in the 19th-century US Patent Office bu…
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National Museum of African Art
Enter the museum’s ground-level pavilion through the Asian moon gates and geometric flower beds of the beautiful Enid A Haupt Memorial Garden, then descend into the dim underground exhibit space, connected by tunnel to the National Museum of Asian Art. Devoted to ancient and modern sub-Saharan African art, the quiet galleries display masks, textiles, ceramics, ritual objects and other examples of the visual traditions of a continent of over 900 distinct cultures. Intentionally or not, there’s a definite West African focus here – this is the traditional art many people associate with Africa, including wooden masks, statues and fetish dolls, largely from Nigeria, Benin an…
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Renwick Gallery
Part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Renwick highlights the American tradition of decorative arts and crafts. Housed in a regal 1859 mansion, there’s a sense of eccentricity and loving whimsy; the ‘crafts’ here straddle a line between utilitarian and artistic expression. The many playful pieces make this a wonderful place to introduce kids to art. We love Kim Schmahmann’s Bureau of Bureaucracy, a hilariously accurate expression of the futility of dealing with official ineptitude realized in a cabinet plucked from MC Escher’s nightmares.
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National Museum of Women in the Arts
The only American museum exclusively devoted to women’s artwork resides in this Renaissance-Revival mansion. Its collection – 2600 works by almost 700 female artists from 28 countries – moves from Renaissance artists such as Lavinia Fontana to 20th-century works by Kahlo, O’Keeffe and Frankenthaler. The permanent collection is largely paintings, and mostly portraits – not as rich a range as one might hope. But special collections are incredibly varied, ranging from Maria Sibylla Merian’s natural history engravings to Native American pottery.
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Reynolds Center for American Art
Don't miss the Reynolds Center for American Art, which combines the National Portrait Gallery with the American Art Museum. From haunting depictions of the inner city and rural heartland to the self-taught visions of itinerant wanderers, the center has dedicated itself to capturing the relentless optimism and critical self-appraisal of American art, and succeeds in a big way.
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Aaron Gallery
One of Dupont Circle’s more established galleries, this place is a cornerstone of first Friday evening (of the month) gallery walks. A non-profit member-run organization, it features a diverse range of super contemporary art (all made in the last decade). The mediums include painting, sculpture and drawings, and all work is created by local artists.
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Zenith Gallery
Margery Eleme Goldberg's gallery has been an anchor of the DC art scene for several decades, showcasing new and established local and national (and some international) artists. She hosts exhibits of interesting paintings and sculpture as well as three-dimensional mixed media works - unusual tapestries, fine crafts and furniture, and wearable art.
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Foundry Gallery
A nonprofit member-run organization, this gallery features a diverse range of super-contemporary art made in the last decade – mediums include painting, sculpture and drawings – all created by local artists. Openings are held the first Friday of the month.
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Corcoran Gallery
DC's oldest art museum, the Corcoran Gallery, has had a tough time standing up to the free, federal competition around the block, but this hasn't stopped it from maintaining one of the most eclectic exhibitions in the country.
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Kathleen Ewing Gallery
Photography is the focus at this gallery, which is renowned for its collection of 19th- and 20th-century photos. It also offers more contemporary pictures and multimedia works. Openings are held the first Friday of the month.
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Troyer Gallery
Among DC’s better-known galleries, especially for emerging artists, it features a lot of home-grown paintings and sculptures, along with a large photography collection. Openings are held the first Friday of the month.
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Studio Gallery
A 30-artist cooperative featuring canvases and sculpture, it is the longest running artist-owned gallery in the area. There are both solo and group exhibits in all mediums. Openings are held the first Friday of the month.
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Flashpoint Gallery
This large space focuses on providing a venue for emerging artists and local cultural organizations. There’s visual arts space here, as well as a theater lab and dance studio.
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Civilian Art Projects
One of the flasher new galleries holding together the Penn Quarter gallery scene. Features contemporary work and hosts tango classes run by local troupe Tango Mercurio.
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Primimoda
Exhibits paintings and design work by the ‘Africanistes,’ an attempt by white artists to record the African continent and diaspora.
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Project 4
An extremely hip U St gallery that showcases some of the best of the contemporary ad pop art scene.
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