For centuries, some of the most ambitious and compelling art in Europe was painted on ceilings in styles ranging from Baroque to Neoclassical. The National Gallery spotlights 30 examples of […]

This immersive installation combines thousands of fine chromatic yellow and blue threads to create a color scheme that the eyes and mind cannot perceive. In what she calls an “imaginary, […]

For 20 years, The Trawick Prize has recognized exceptional artists in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The Katzen celebrates 18 past prize-winners with a showing of their work in sculpture, painting, mixed media, film and more.

This ground-breaking show is not only the first major exhibition of Aboriginal Australian bark-painting in the U.S., it’s also the largest display of Aboriginal Australian art to be seen in the Western Hemisphere in 30 years. The Yolngu people in northern Australia’s Yirrkala region tell stories about the interconnectedness of man, animals and the land; […]

The Hirshhorn focuses on Chinese photography’s recent shift away from realism and toward conceptual art. The 186 images on view, made between 1993 and 2022, reveal how Chinese artists have independently embraced the immediacy of print and digital photography, recorded performance and video art.

Originally trained as a classical pianist, Linling Lu creates exuberant works of art inspired by the properties of sound. For this solo show, she created a series of abstract paintings that translate the musical notes of Philip Glass’ Etude no. 16 into spatial configurations, shown in the artist’s trademark rings of brightly colored, concentric circles.

Like the first installation of this exhibit, which remains on view through January 29, the second part also presents portraits by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Lanker of Black women who […]

Léon Bonvin (1834-1866) is known for his exquisite watercolors, inspired by Japanese prints, photography and trends of the day. Following the French artist’s tragic suicide, Baltimore patron William Walters began […]

An accomplished businesswoman and legendary arts patron, Hillwood founder Marjorie Merriweather Post applauded female artists and designers. Hillwood displays art and objects from its collection that depict women whom Post […]

The museum presents a stunning array of antique Islamic prayer rugs collected around the globe from Ottoman Turkey to Mughal India. Exploring the spiritual meaning behind the rugs’ iconic motifs, […]

A major retrospective surveys the 50-year career of modern artist Philip Guston (1930 to 1980). Some 110 paintings and 115 drawings on view run the spectrum from figurative and abstract […]

Now in its 46th year, this craft show will host more than 350 artists displaying handmade treasures. Attendees can browse basketry, ceramics, furniture, fiber art and works in wood and metal, along with jewelry and wearables.

In this collection of newly acquired work, 25 modern and contemporary artists reveal their emotional and spiritual selves. Taken as a whole, the pieces on view illustrate the power of […]

This novel exhibit explores how the materials and methods artists employ in their work evoke history, memory and meaning among viewers. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints and textiles are among the 65 works on view from the museum’s permanent collection.

Approximately 80 recently acquired watercolors and drawings in the museum’s permanent collection provide a vast overview of British art created over two centuries. The display features portraits, landscapes, historic scenes […]

Commemorating hip hop’s 50th anniversary, this exhibit surveys the cultural, conceptual and aesthetic attributes that have made the art form a global phenomenon. Ninety works by famed contemporary artists such […]

Twenty-nine tours will take place throughout Virginia during this annual event, sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia. Among them: a walking tour in Old Town Alexandria and visits to private properties overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains in Warrenton.

Now in its 90th year, this spring event offers participants a glimpse into some of Georgetown’s most spectacular homes and gardens. A parish tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church follows the self-guided tour. Proceeds benefit the church’s ministry and outreach.

Marking the 125th anniversary of the Spanish-American War, this exhibit examines the rise of the U.S. as an empire through the lens of portraiture and visual culture. More than 90 works from collections in Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam, Spain and the U.S. present an array of viewpoints in a fascinating look back at history.

In the 1990s, Drexciya, a Detroit-based techno duo, imagined an underwater kingdom populated by the offspring of pregnant women who were either pushed or jumped overboard during voyages of the transatlantic slave trade. Since then, many artists—including Ayana V. Jackson—have conjured their own interpretations of this mythical world. In her first solo museum exhibition, Jackson […]

Now in its 41st year, the Smithsonian Craft Show will display creations by 120 artists representing all facets of craft and design, from ceramics and basketry to glass, jewelry, furniture, fiber and wearable art. “Celebrating the American Spirit” is the theme of this year’s juried event, which will feature work by 13 Native American and […]

When they envisioned Washington’s architectural profile, America’s Founding Fathers and subsequent leaders frequently invoked Greek and Roman styles as a link to America’s political roots. This exhibit explores depictions of monuments, sculptures and public buildings throughout the nation’s capital that were designed to reflect the classical architecture of these ancient civilizations.

Martha Jackson Jarvis’ great-great-great-great grandfather, Luke Valentine, was a free Black militiaman who served during the Revolutionary War. In a series of 13 large abstract works on paper, the multi-media artist traces a journey Valentine made from Virginia to South Carolina. The assemblage not only captures shifts in terrain but also the dangers and emotions […]

This retrospective celebrates the 50-year career of Robert Houle (Saulteaux Anishinaabe, Sandy Bay First Nation). Embracing Western and Indigenous artistic traditions, Houle pays homage to the earth, the sacred and the creative moment in his paintings via color, light and gesture.

Lego lovers of all ages will delight in an around-the-world tour featuring reproductions of 37 iconic structures and places made entirely of Lego bricks. Edinburgh-based artist Warren Elsmore constructed the intricate models depicting attractions on every continent, from San Francisco’s Painted Ladies to the Shalamar Gardens of Pakistan. Pictured: A model of the Lincoln Memorial, […]

Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757–1822) started each of his masterpieces in marble by producing a model in clay. More than 30 of some 60 surviving clay sketches shed light on the artist’s creative process.

The Renwick Invitational showcases 
mid-career and emerging artists deserving wider national recognition. Jurors selected six Native American artists for the 2023 exhibit, which examines the honors and burdens facing Native artists as they express their cultural traditions. Creations on display by Joe Feddersen, Lily Hope, Ursala Hudson, Erica Lord, Geo Neptune and Maggie Thompson address […]

This retrospective commemorates the life and work of artist and educator Benjamin Wigfall (1930–2017) in his native Richmond. After launching his career, Wigfall studied at Hampton University and Yale and later became a professor at State University of New York (SUNY), New Paltz. It was there that he founded his studio, Communications Village, as a […]

This show explores the powerful connection between video art and music, showcasing 29 time-based installations by 10 award-winning creators. Harnessing genres from hip-hop and jazz to spirituals and lullabies, the works explore personal and universal themes that form a commentary on contemporary life. This is the museum’s first fully accessible exhibition, designed in conjunction with […]

A text-and-image-based installation by New York conceptual artist Jessica Diamond offers a commentary on American culture and commercialism. Thirteen new wall drawings play off two of Diamond’s preexisting works.

The museum spotlights a 12-panel screen depicting women in an imperial palace during the Han dynasty. Visitors will learn about the 1672 screen’s meaning and manufacture as well as about recent conservation efforts to bring its intricate beauty back to life.

The rise of stylized, mass-produced posters in late-19th-century Europe and America blurred the lines between fine and applied art. Works by top French, Belgian, Viennese and American artists emphasized natural beauty in the flowing lines and flourishing patterns of the Art Nouveau movement. These posters represent early depictions of women as fashionable, independent individuals and […]

By expressing the personal stories and experiences of makers and their communities, quilts often illuminate historical events and cultural trends. Drawn from the collection of New York’s American Folk Art Museum, creations on display range from traditional early-American quilts to contemporary sculptural assemblages.
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Mounted in partnership with Hemphill Artworks, this exhibition shines a light on Washington-based artist Steven Cushner, showcasing 34 small-scale works on paper, woodcut prints and large paintings.

DC artist Franklin White has spent the past two decades in Merida, Venezuela, enamored by its scenery and traditions. The Katzen presents a selection of White’s expansive oil pastels on handmade paper, depicting the mountain village’s natural beauty.

This exhibition focuses on sculptures by Rachel Rotenberg created using cedar planks and other materials. The artist, notes the Katzen, “has managed to build works on a heroic scale without sacrificing intimacy.”

Science and imagination collide in a mind-bending video experience developed in collaboration with NASA. Exploring light as a thread connecting history, science and technology, the show reimagines cutting-edge processes and discoveries, including newly analyzed galactical data captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

The museum reflects on the career and work of late African American artist Alma Thomas, who was born in the Jim Crow South but spent most of her life in Washington, DC. The show reveals how Thomas’ materials and techniques continued to evolve until her death in 1978.

Pieces by some 50 living Native American artists are a testament to indigenous survival and knowledge of the land. Works on view run the gamut from weaving and sculpture to beading, painting and more.

The museum displays more than 200 objects illustrating the integral role women played in the development of art, culture and commerce over four centuries. This vast display of royal portraits, devotional sculpture, tapestries, printed books, drawings, metalwork, ceramics and furniture made by both acclaimed and amateur women artists dispels the belief of the time that […]

The Modern Architecture + Design Society and listModern host a celebration of residential modern architecture and design. From DC to Arlington and McLean to Chevy Chase, come see the inside and out of some of DMV's most unique modern homes; meet the local architects, designers, and builders that created the homes; and find some inspiration […]

Featuring more than 70 creations by 50 artists, this exhibition explores art networks and exchanges between Africa and the U.S. during the postwar period. Organized into four parts, it reveals the depth of experimentation and diverse artistic practices that emerged in Africa in those years and the connections that challenged academic assumptions and biases.

Inaugurating its new modern and contemporary galleries, the museum spotlights the photographic work of Park Chan-kyong—the Korean artist’s first solo exhibit at a major U.S. institution. Visually powerful still and moving images examine South Korea’s complex history, from the impact of rapid socioeconomic development to effects of the Cold War on politics and society.

This exhibit chronicles an early chapter in photography, when innovators perfected a way to etch a photographic image into a copperplate and print it in ink. Resulting images dazzled viewers with their delicate highlights and rich tonal range—and the process of photogravure was born. More than 45 photogravures will be shown along with bound-volume examples […]

The gallery shines a light on scientists, politicians, activists, writers and artists who played a pivotal role in the conservation movement from the late 19th century until today. Showcasing more than 25 portraits of thought leaders ranging from Henry David Thoreau to Maya Lin, the exhibit also addresses issues of environmental justice, biodiversity and climate.

Fresh from a two-year renovation, the museum marks its reopening with a dramatic exhibit featuring contemporary sculpture and immersive installations created over the past two decades by 13 women artists. More than 30 works of art, many monumental in scale, will dangle from the ceiling, cascade down walls and extend across the gallery floors.

Hung Liu (1948–2021) lived through Mao Zedong’s totalitarian regime before immigrating to the U.S. The museum reveals “weeping” paintings and prints by the artist featuring signature paint drips and layers of color. Inspired by vintage photographs discovered on a trip to China in the 1990s, the works convey the dignity and resilience of her subjects—predominantly […]

French artist Antoinette Bouzonnet-Stella (1641–1676) is best known for a work entitled The Entrance of the Emperor Sigismond into Mantua. This series of 25 prints is on display as part of an exhibit focusing on her life and career in Paris, where she lived and studied in the Louvre with her uncle, artist Jacques Stella. […]

Sculptures and special installations dot the Kreeger’s grounds in a display that demonstrates how art encourages viewers to consider subjects from other perspectives. The eight works in this show were created by DC-area artists. Pictured: "Furies," a wood, steel and ceramic sculpture by DC-based Adam Bradley.

The museum highlights work by 25 influential contemporary artists from the U.S. and around the world. More than 120 selections in an array of media include paintings by DC-based Rozeal and a self-portrait by Baltimore’s John Waters.

An exhibit spotlights Franco-Senegalese artist Alexandre Diop, whose mixed-media creations explore legacies of colonialism and the diaspora.

Chicago native Simone Leigh explores themes of race, beauty and community in visual and material culture with references to vernacular and handmade processes from across the African diaspora. The Hirshhorn presents sculptures by the artist that were shown at the 2022 Venice Biennale, along with three new bronzes, video, ceramics and other earlier creations.

This show centers on paintingsa by 20th-century icons such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Grant Wood and Hale Woodruff depicting rural scenes and city life in the U.S. In addition, select works by artists affiliated with Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art shine a light on that institution’s lasting impact.

More than 100 portraits on view of everyday Americans, taken from the Great Depression through the 1960s, are a testament to the prolific American photographer’s ability to capture the character and strength of her subjects. Throughout her 50-year career, Lange (1895–1965) focused her lens on scenes of economic disparity, migration, poverty and racism.

Focusing on the intersections of poetry and nature in visual art, The Phillips pairs the large-scale forest landscape paintings of contemporary Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone with more than 50 paintings by American artist and poet Louis Michel Eilshemius (1864–1941). The museum also displays poems on paper and diary paintings by Rondinone, who is a longtime […]

Sponsored by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Washington Mid-Atlantic Chapter, this event celebrates Stan Dixon’s eponymous book, The Residential Architecture of D. Stanley Dixon: Home.  HOME is the debut book from award-winning Southern architect Stan Dixon, one of a highly influential group of Atlanta-based architects and designers who are revolutionizing the design world with […]

Fascinated by cities undergoing drastic change in the late 19th century, James McNeill Whistler depicted many historic London and Paris structures shortly before they were demolished to make way for modernity. This show unveils more than 100 works by the artist—oil paintings, watercolors, pastels and prints—that capture these bygone scenes.

The gallery traces the evolution of Rothko’s oeuvre through some 100 finished paintings on paper that are unfamiliar to critics and the public. Ranging from early watercolors to monumental oils and acrylics, the works are only a fraction of the museum’s vast Rothko repository—all of which is viewable online and about to be published in […]

A newly commissioned work by Mexican-American multimedia artist and musician Raúl de Nieves animates the museum’s two-story lobby. Comprised of a 27-pane, faux stained-glass window and a multi-tiered chandelier adorned with 999 colorful resin butterflies, the installation examines notions of beauty and transformation.

Spearheading the first major U.S. exhibit that examines Ethiopian art in a global context, the Baltimore gallery traces the country’s artistic traditions from their origins to the present day. More than 225 objects—from coins, painted icons, wood carvings and metalwork to paintings by contemporary artists—reveal Ethiopia’s significance in cross-cultural exchange and the movement of art […]

More than 40 dealers from the U.S. and Europe will exhibit their wares, from furniture and art to jewelry and collectibles. A panel on the 12th will feature designers India Hicks, Celerie Kemble and Alex Papachristidis, moderated by New York designer Joy Moyler. Pictured: A display exhibited by Bell + Preston Antiques.

From historical newspaper illustrations to oil paintings, depictions of DC residents out and about with the city’s iconic architecture as a backdrop capture 19th-century life in the nation’s capital.

A special installation and guided tour sheds light on the lives of enslaved and free individuals of African descent who lived and worked at Tudor Place over almost two centuries. Created in collaboration with descendants, the exhibit features photographs, artifacts and audio recordings.

A collection of densely hued paintings and woodblock prints by Barbara Kerne reveals the Bethesda artist’s strong connection to nature.

This site-specific installation conceived and created by artists Ellyn Weiss and Sondra N. Arkin centers on the climate-related causes and consequences of mass migration. Works depicting wildfires, rising sea levels and extreme heat convey the urgent need to confront challenges facing humanity and the planet.

Dynamic paintings and works on paper by the late American artist Jennifer Bartlett celebrate the beauty of gardens. This installation complements an upcoming spring exhibit that will focus on the work of another garden enthusiast, Pierre Bonnard.

Rejecting norms of idealized beauty, German Expressionist art embraced bold distortions, angular forms and the use of non-naturalistic colors. More than 100 prints as well as drawings, illustrated books and sculptures created over the past century document the movement and the ways in which it has reflected and contributed to revolutionary change.

From an early visit during the 1900 World’s Fair to her later years as a patron of Paris’ opulent hotels, opera houses, galleries and fashion ateliers, Marjorie Merriweather Post was enamored with the City of Light. Nearly 60 pieces of furniture, porcelain creations, tapestries and other precious items the heiress acquired in Paris will be […]

Attendees can discover resources for myriad home-improvement projects at this show, where exhibitors run the gamut from landscaping, kitchen design and home electronics experts to vendors offering appliances, windows, flooring and more. Emmy award-winning Kevin O’Connor (pictured), host of “This Old House,” will speak on the 23rd.

The ancient resist-dyeing technique of ikat developed independently in communities across Asia, Africa and the Americas. This exhibit presents more than 70 vivid ikat textiles from a diverse group of countries including Indonesia, India, Uzbekistan, Côte d’Ivoire and Guatemala.

Architect Mark McInturff, FAIA, will discuss the common roots of Classical and Modern Architecture at this event hosted by The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Washington Mid Atlantic Chapter. Beginning with the training and early work of the iconic Modernists including Mies, Le Corbusier, Wright and Kahn, the talk will illustrate common denominators of […]

Channeling the glamour and intrigue of 007 lore, this exhibit unveils 17 iconic vehicles that appeared in James Bond movies over the past six decades. Props, motorcycles and film clips will also be shown.

Since 1965, the historic Woodlawn estate has hosted the largest judged show of needle arts in the nation with hundreds of embroidery pieces on display from artists all over the world. The month-long fundraiser is put together by Nelly’s Needler’s Needlework Group, established in 1975 to help in the preservation of Woodlawn through the pursuit […]

The museum examines 160 works to unravel connections that unite abstract art, fashion, design and craft. Varied media—from oil painting to weaving, basketry, netting, knotting and knitting—explore social and political issues that have influenced textile production over the past century.

The Traditional Building Conference Series delivers focused, relevant education and training for architects, contractors, craftspeople and designers. Faculty includes industry experts and practitioners who present a mix of hands-on construction techniques, methods and materials, classical design, urban planning, and sustainable building practice as it relates to updating and preserving traditional and historic buildings of all […]

In the latest—and largest—installation of a series mounted every three years, NMWA presents the work of 28 artists from 13 countries. Creations ponder issues of our time, including the effects of a global pandemic, advocacy for social change and fallout from the political divide.  Pictured: A digital print by Meryl McMaster.

Twenty-nine tours will take place throughout Virginia during this annual event, sponsored  by the Garden Club of Virginia. Among them: a jaunt around Leesburg and visits to two gardens in McLean.

The gallery shines a light on the portraits and biographies of 60 visionary American women who lived and worked in Paris in the early 20th century—a time when they ostensibly enjoyed greater personal and professional freedom there than they would have in the U.S. The first exhibit to focus on the impact of American women […]

This retrospective celebrates three decades of innovation by fiber artist DY Begay, whose work marries her traditional Diné upbringing on the Navajo Nation reservation with a modern, experimental handling of […]

A pivotal 1874 exhibition in Paris is considered by many to be the birthplace of modernist painting. Many works that appeared in that historic show—seen as radical at the time—will be on view at the National Gallery in an exhibit exploring political and social shifts that sparked the Impressionist movement. Included are paintings by Cézanne, Degas, Monet […]

Los Angeles-based artist Suchitra Mattai creates layered textile installations, sculptures, collages and paintings by combining richly colored saris, vintage needlepoints, book pages, jewelry, tinsel, beads and other found objects. The NMWA’s spotlight on 40 of her mixed-media and textile installations explores how memory, myth and visual culture can counter colonial and patriarchal narratives.

Peruse—and purchase—one-of-a-kind creations from a curated collection of wearable crafts at this annual event. More than 90 makers display their wares, from jewelry and leather to clothing, accessories and decorative fiber. Proceeds support grants to the Smithsonian for education, outreach and research projects. The Smithsonian Craft2Wear show will feature a necklace by Holly Anne Mitchell […]

Nearly 100 contemporary works spanning multiple disciplines comprise this collection by more than 40 emerging and established artists—some American by birth and others who have adopted this country as their […]

Two ground-breaking paintings—one by Jean-Michel Basquiat and the other by Banksy—are placed in dialog in the Hirshhorn’s first presentation of either artist’s work. Also on display are 20 small Basquiat […]

Now in its 70th year, this annual event will attract more than 40 dealers from the U.S. and Europe presenting furniture, art, jewelry and collectibles. Visitors can browse antiques and decorative arts from historic houses in a special anniversary exhibit.

A lifelong resident of Washington, DC, Otho D. Branson is known for his mathematical compositions of intersecting lines and color. His first solo show highlights modern works from 1970 to 2022, detailing his career and his dedication to craft.

About 40 paintings, prints and drawings from the BMA’s collection explore the roles of water and landscape in defining the early modern Dutch Republic. Pieces by luminaries such as Frans […]

Could pollution have played a role in the emergence of European modernism in art? This exhibit poses that question using paintings and works on paper by Henri Matisse, Claude Monet […]

How does Southern architecture reflect the needs of its locale and its people? This exhibition aims to examine the contemporary architecture and design practices of the American South as the region deals with population growth as well as rebuilding after several devastating natural disasters.

Sea Cloud, a windjammer that was once the world’s largest sailing yacht, was commissioned by Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband, E.F. Hutton, in the early 20th century and survives […]

The largest juried craft fair on the East Coast highlights creations by more than 350 artists and makers from across the country, alongside demonstrations, talks and hands-on experiences.

More than 250 companies will showcase the latest products and services in home remodeling, décor, landscape and garden design at this event, headlined in 2025 by Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt of HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home.” Seminars by home-remodeling and landscape experts will take place throughout the weekend.

In 1925, George Hewitt Myers founded The Textile Museum to showcase his global collection of carpets and textiles. This show will bring together iconic pieces from the museum’s coffers as […]

The career of Art Nouveau illustrator and designer Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) is the subject of an exhibit that explores the development of his style and its impact, from the psychedelic […]

The idea of perception versus reality informs this exhibit of painting, sculpture, photography, works on paper and video by women artists spanning the Surrealist movement to the present. Art by […]

This yearly spring showcase features more than 450 exhibitors, along with 125 crafters and the latest home and outdoor-living products. Presentations by HGTV landscape expert Chris Lambton and hosts Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb of “Unsellable Houses” are also part of the mix. The show takes place on March 1 and 2 and from March […]

Consumers who want to update a living room, transform a bedroom into a spa retreat or create a more efficient workspace can get professional design advice at a special rate during ASID's annual Spring Spruce Up. For $150 per hour (maximum two hours), a certified ASID designer will lend their expertise to help homeowners with […]

Dedicated to visionary artist and activist Elizabeth Catlett, this retrospective showcases the Howard University grad’s legacy through more than 150 politically engaged works, including sculpture, prints, rare paintings, drawings and […]

For the first time in nearly 50 years, 14 larger-than-life cotton cloth paintings—known as pichwais—depicting the god Krishna go on view at the Sackler Gallery. Dating from the 18th to […]

Interior designers, makers and creative entrepreneurs will converge for a weekend of design talks, hands-on demonstrations, and a curated shopping experience set against the charming backdrop of Maryland’s Eastern Shore at this special event held at the Wildset Hotel, a boutique getaway in St. Michaels, Maryland. Attendees will enjoy roundtable panels featuring leading DC-area visionaries, […]

For more than 40 years, sculptor Chakaia Booker has created monumental, abstract works of art from discarded rubber tires. This exhibit, which includes three large-scale wall relief pieces as well […]

This comprehensive show presents 30 rarely seen works by Frida Kahlo supplemented by behind-the-scenes photographs of the enigmatic artist. Vibrant paintings that celebrate her Mexican heritage take center stage, but […]

An installation marks the 40-year anniversary of the anonymous feminist artist collective Guerrilla Girls, known for provocative street campaigns that take on gender inequality through billboards, banners and more. This […]

For one week every spring, Virginia’s only statewide house and garden tour offers visitors insider access to private landscapes, public gardens and historic sites across the Commonwealth. Adding to the […]

Hosted by All Hallows Guild, this annual flower sale and spring event has been the primary fundraiser for the Cathedral’s gardens and grounds since 1939. This year’s theme is “In Living Color.” Vendors and food stalls offer a wide array of goods and treats in addition to fresh blooms, so there’s something for everyone.

Now in its 34th year, the Tephra ICA Arts Festival (formerly known as the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will feature the original handmade work of more than 200 contemporary […]

Latin American works ranging from ancient urns and textiles to contemporary ceramics will be displayed in the Baltimore museum’s newly renovated North Court galleries. Representing 40 different cultures and 4,000 years of history, the show is organized by theme and geographic provenance, and will include bilingual materials for a more immersive experience.

Named for the fertile soil of ancient indigenous civilizations in the Amazon, this show celebrates the splendor of the natural world through works by artists of color and Native identity. Environmental injustice and the legacy of European settlement is examined through paintings, sculptures and films.

This exhibition puts the relationship between art and European natural history under the microscope—specifically the study of insects and small animals. Featuring more than 75 detailed works that inspired generations of printmakers, decorative artists and naturalists alongside specimens and taxidermy from Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, these “little beasts” will likely leave a big […]

A selection of photographs offers an intimate look at the everyday lives of Indigenous peoples across the Western Hemisphere. Drawn from the museum’s vast archive of more than a half-million images, this show reveals moments of quiet reflection as well as family gatherings and ceremonies, captured from 1852 to the present.

A Romanov by birth, Natalie Paley escaped the tragic fate of her family to live a culturally rich life in France, and later, America as the darling of fashion designers, writers, editors and photographers. Through 335 newly acquired items—assembled alongside pieces from Hillwood’s permanent collection—a fascinating portrait of the woman as both muse and tastemaker […]

Its title alluding to periods of rising tension, this exhibit presents the work of four modern-day artists alongside pieces by 20th-century artists whose lives and art were impacted by tumultuous events of their time. Art by Josef Albers, Max Beckmann and others lend context to thought-provoking, 21st-century sculptures, photos, textiles and installations by alumni of […]

David A. Douglas’ large-scale works blend drawing, painting and photography to explore memory and place. Through contemplative landscapes and interior scenes glimpsed through windows and thresholds, the Northern Virginia-based artist encourages patrons to reflect on the passage of time and the natural world.

Recent works by the American-born artist include Rubber Pencil Devil (Hell House), a neon sculpture commissioned by Glenstone to showcase Da Corte‘s videos exploring humor, satire, violence and tenderness. Also on view, The Decorated Shed, which reimagines the miniature neighborhood featured on the TV show ”Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” set in a room swathed in colorful […]

Drawing on the National Portrait Gallery’s extensive early photography collection, this show traces the evolution of large-scale portraiture using the three popular mediums of the day: the upmarket daguerreotype, the mid-range ambrotype, and the far more common and affordable tintype.

Upending assumptions about the one-dimensionality of photography and prints, the museum shines a light on 20th- and 21st-century Japanese art that blurs the lines between mediums and conventions. Pieces on display by 17 experimental artists may be layered with plastic, foam, glue, tape or other materials.

Thirty watercolors created over the course of two centuries trace the medium’s evolution from a mode of documentation to an art form. Largely drawn from the Corcoran collection, the paintings depict iconic American scenes, from New England seascapes to the Grand Canyon.

Named “Narsha,” an archaic Korean word that means “to soar high,” this exhibit showcases the work of 31 Korean-American artists in a wide array of styles. Celebrating cultural traditions and the lived experience of Korean immigrants in the US, the show is presented by the Han-Mee Artists Association of Greater Washington to mark its 50th […]

This show honors the legacy of artist and activist Vivian Browne through paintings, prints and works on paper. Whether fighting for Black representation in New York museums or challenging the accepted parameters of abstraction and figuration through her work, she remains an admirable figure in 20th-century American art. phillipscollection.org

Photographs, ephemera and prints illuminate the historical hotels, motels, inns and taverns that have hosted visitors to Washington over the centuries. From famous landmarks to humble boarding houses, these accommodations speak to the capital city’s evolving identity.

A coterie of artists sets up their easels around historic Easton for the country’s largest juried outdoor painting competition, now in its 20th year. The event will feature demonstrations, art sales, interactive workshops and competitions for participants of all levels along with entertainment and children’s programming.

This Baltimore gallery celebrates feline subjects with a show dedicated to the portrayal of cats in medieval manuscripts. Not only endearing pets, 15th-century cats also played deeply symbolic roles in literature and served as protectors that warded off pests.

From a life-size butter cow created on-site by Iowa’s Sarah Pratt to a pyramid of 700 glass jars of preserved fruits and vegetables by canning expert and fellow Iowan Rod Zeitler, the Renwick celebrates the artistry and crafts that play an integral role in state fairs nationwide. More than 240 objects on view date from […]

Marking The Textile Museum’s centennial, this exhibition examines the roles textiles have played over the centuries in celebrations, performances and religious ceremonies around the world. Pieces on view run the spectrum from festival robes to palace carpets.

This show chronicles how 19th-century European and American artists not only documented but also influenced the transformation of pristine environments into resources of industry. More than 50 works on paper—organized by themes of desert, forest, field, city and studio—were pulled from the collection of Baltimore native George A. Lucas (1824-1909).

This landmark show chronicles the pivotal role women artists played in what is presently the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium, during the 17th and 18th centuries. The nearly 150 works on view—from paintings and prints to sculpture, embroidery and lace—are a testament to women’s participation in nearly all aspects of artistic culture of the era. However, […]

This mega-exhibition marking the 
Baltimore venue’s 30th anniversary focuses on alternate worlds by a coterie of self-taught artists. Among 130 creations shown are paintings and lithographs, ceramic subway scenes, handcrafted action figures, chainsaw-carved minotaurs and hand-painted sci-fi galaxies.

Tokyo-born Tawny Chatmon elevates cultural truths and confronts racist myths through her photography-based art. Her large-scale photographs are embellished with digital techniques and handmade elements that include embroidered and mosaic-like patterns.

This exhibition displays recent work by four DMV-based recipients of Anonymous Was a Woman (AWAW) grants. The 25-year-old program supporting mid-career female artists throughout the U.S. takes its name from a Virginia Woolf essay underscoring challenges faced by creative women. The Kreeger show highlights 26 works by Jae Ko, linn meyers, Joyce J. Scott and […]

October 18 to March 1, 2026 –This exhibit offers visitors a rare opportunity to discover modern and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, dating from the late 19th century to the present. More than 200 works by 130 artists illustrate the diverse and distinct visual iconographies of Indigenous Australia, which is made up of […]

The museum reexamines the work and life of Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses (1860–1961), the self-taught artist who was propelled to fame after starting to paint in her late 70s. The 88 works on view illuminate lesser-known aspects of Moses’ experience and reconcile the roles she played—from mother of five and dairy farmer in post-Reconstructionist […]

In the most comprehensive unveiling of former Charm City resident Amy Sherald’s work to date, the BMA presents approximately 40 of her portraits, from rarely seen examples to iconic portrayals of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. The ticketed show focuses on Sherald’s experimentation with the conventions of portraiture and her ability to tell stories through […]

A permanent exhibit showcases some 3,000 of the museum’s 500,000 historical artifacts. Find architectural models by I.M. Pei and Frank Gehry, an antique blueprint machine, 1960s dollhouses, building fragments from the Carnegie Mansion and more. Items on display will be regularly rotated.

In 2021, family of the late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-Hee donated his vast art collection to the Republic of Korea. Some 200 items from the endowment are on display in the debut of this traveling exhibit. Spanning 1,500 years, objects range from ancient Buddhist sculpture to Joseon dynasty furnishings and bold, 20th-century paintings.

The 
Phillips brings together some 75 paintings, prints, sculptures and mixed-media pieces spanning more than a century to celebrate and study the beauty and complexity of the American experience through the lens of visual art. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the U.S., the show reflects on the nation’s ever-changing culture and identity.

An exhibit of more than 130 works on loan from the collection of music-industry power couple Alicia Keys and Kasseem Dean (aka Swizz Beatz) shines a light on 40-plus Black artists from Africa, Europe, the U.S. and the Caribbean. Pictured: A work by Amy Sherald.

Every year, local design teams partner with Washington Design Center showrooms to create seasonal vignettes and tablescapes composed with furniture, fabrics and finery sourced at the center. Proceeds benefit Children's National Hospital. At press time, this year's participants included Amoda Decor; Barbara Noguera Interiors; Charles C. Almonte, AIA ASID; David Anthony Chenault, Drysdale Design Associates; […]

The daughter of a silent-film star, the late Ruth Orkin is remembered for her postwar photographs of confident women in public and private spaces. Twenty-one striking images on view range from Hollywood glamour shots to depictions of women in classrooms, parks and homes.

This immersive video installation dives deep into multi-media artist Clifford Ross’ ongoing fascination with the vast, awe-inspiring ocean through computer-generated media. Installed on a 23-foot-high screen in the West Building’s […]

Painter, printmaker and botanist Ilana Manolson celebrates species often dismissed as weeds, revealing their vitality, beauty and the essential roles they play within the ecosystems we share. From her luminous landscapes to her depictions of the intricate veins of leaves, the Canadian-born artist exposes unseen forces connecting all living things.

The NGA celebrates Mary Cassatt on the 100th anniversary of her death in 1926. The only American and one of three women who participated in the Impressionist movement, she spent […]

Hillwood presents its dazzling collection of 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century timepieces, displayed alongside historic and contemporary loans in an exhibit that chronicles the history of horology and watch-making. Visitors will […]

Now in its 49th year, this expo will showcase the creations of 400 artists working in ceramics, glass, jewelry, metalworking, printmaking, clothing, furniture and basketry. Visitors can enjoy artist talks, […]

A dazzling selection of saddle blankets, horse covers and other textiles dating back 1,300 years illustrates the vital role horses have played in Asian civilizations.

The museum shines a light on abstract work by notable 20th- and 21st-century female artists. More than 70 pieces on display in an array of media explore themes of representation, […]

Three exhibitions capture the enduring influence of Henri Matisse. In “To See This Light Again,” works by the 20th-century French icon and Maryland painter Louis Fratino are juxtaposed, creating a […]

“Miró and the United States” reflects on the creative transatlantic symbiosis that occurred among 
Spanish artist Joan Miró (1893 to 1983) and his American artistic contemporaries, including Alexander Calder, Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler, during the post-war period from the 1940s to the 1960s.

A retrospective on the career of late New York artist Shirley Gorelick centers on three large-scale figure paintings along with more than 30 related paintings, drawings and prints that embody her bold, realist style.

An installation by conceptual artist Rachel Lee Hovnanian invites 
viewers to surrender their smartphones and immerse themselves in the BMA’s Spring House, which she has transformed into a natural oasis. She created the escape in hopes that it allows visitors “to rediscover how it feels to be fully present.”

A pair of paintings shown side by side illustrate how Hiroshi Senju and Bingyi reimagine their cultures’ rich artistic traditions. The former applies modern techniques to traditional Japanese methods, while the latter draws on historic Chinese ink painting in his approach. Though dramatically different, both pieces celebrate the beauty and power of water.

More than 100 works on paper represent the American experience through ruminations on the country’s landscape, people and concepts of freedom. The exhibit includes photographs by Carleton Watkins, Dorothea Lange […]

This exhibit explores the history and beauty of paintings made for Hindu kings in India’s northern Pahari region between the 1620s and 1830s. 
A study of 48 works on view, ranging in style from naturalistic to abstract, sheds light on their political, cultural and religious significance.

A trip to South Africa inspired Douriean Fletcher to design jewelry as a way to explore her identity and cultural heritage. Known for dramatic pieces made from natural materials, the […]

The Smithsonian Craft Show returns to the National Building Museum, filling its Great Hall with an array of collectibles from April 23rd to 26th. Now in its 44th year, the juried event spotlights more than 120 artisans representing varied disciplines, from basketry, ceramics and decorative fiber to furniture, glass, mixed-media and wearable art. Ceramicist Wayne Higby […]

An iconic 1857 
panorama of Niagara Falls by landscape painter Frederic Edwin Church anchors a group of 20 works depicting the natural wonder. From historic Native paintings to contemporary photography, […]

After launching the first museum survey dedicated to women Pueblo potters in 1998, NMWA now presents its first exhibit focused on this collection. It features 24 vessels that convey diverse […]

The BMA showcases more than 100 works from the collection of Baltimore philanthropists Sigmund M. and Mary B. Hyman, which focused on modern American culture and history. Along with the […]

In her first major solo museum exhibition, artist and master printmaker Susan Goldman looks 
inward to create luminous, large-scale prints on aluminum. Along with her 
studio work, Goldman is the founding director of the Printmaking Legacy Project, a DC nonprofit dedicated to documenting and preserving printmaking practices.

Artists and art lovers alike flock to Easton for the largest juried plein air painting competition in the U.S. Fifty-eight artists from around the world are selected to participate, capturing the region’s landscapes, street scenes and waterfronts. The festival culminates with exhibits, award presentations and art sales.