Now in its 89th year, this event opens the doors of a handful of historic Georgetown homes and gardens. Attendees are invited to a tea reception at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which sponsors the tour. Proceeds support many of the church’s outreach programs. Photo: John Magor

A selection of works from the museum’s collection illuminates Henri Matisse’s ability to speak volumes about his subjects with a few simple lines. Pen-and-ink drawings, aquatints and bronzes reveal the artist’s shift from classical style to a more fluid treatment of the body. artbma.org

An artist whose work focuses on the social history of plants, Beatrice Glow has turned her lens on tobacco and the repercussions of its trade. Digitally printed and embroidered silk textiles, 3D-printed objects and watercolors express both the decadent opulence and unsavory realities of the industry. artbma.org

Born in Pakistan and living in New York, Salman Toor upends tradition and outdated notions of power and sexuality in his work. This assemblage of 45 of his paintings and works on paper made between 2019 and 2022—some for this exhibit—weaves together motifs from historical works and 21st-century events.

The museum celebrates the late Washington-based abstractionist with an exhibit of his circular paintings, or tondos, created in 2021. Ranging from three to five feet in diameter, each starts with […]

Hamiltonian Artists is a DC incubator that promotes the careers of emerging visual artists. This indoor-outdoor exhibit presents new work by seven Hamiltonian Artists’ fellows alongside pieces in the museum’s […]

After studying fine arts at the Corcoran in DC and working under several Washington Color School artists in the ’80s and ’90s, Mokha Laget eventually moved to Santa Fe. The […]

More than 80 pieces of couture, accessories and photographs on loan from the Palace of Monaco shed light on the glamorous wardrobe of Princess Grace and her longstanding collaboration with […]

This exhibit displays drawings, paintings and sculptures by 43 seminal self-taught artists of the 20th century; it includes a painted work on cut-and-pieced sheet metal by David Butler (pictured). The […]

This exhibit is the first to examine the life of Joanna Hiffernan, a model who was depicted in many early works by James McNeill Whistler and who played an integral […]

Twenty works explore the evolving role of indigenous artists in the North American Arctic. The exhibit traces the transition from the ornate, ritualistic and utilitarian objects crafted for many generations […]

Through January 29, 2023 This show explores various brush techniques Japanese artists applied in their depictions of birds over several centuries. On view are hanging scroll paintings, folding screens, ceramics […]

Curated by Rebecca Cross of Cross MacKenzie Gallery, this exhibit of powerful ceramic sculptures created through accumulation and repetition demonstrates the principle: “out of many, one.” Pieces by eight artists […]

This installation blurs the lines between real and imagnary. Sculptures by Georgia Saxelby (pictured) and paintings by Devan Shimoyama explore alternate realities in a post-pandemic world where fantasy and imagination […]

More than two dozen works on paper by the French Fauvist artist celebrate the pomp and pageantry of British horse racing. Sketches of the famous Ascot course made by Dufy […]

Working in a range of media, seven Hamiltonian Artists Alumni mimic surfaces, spaces and objects, exploring the aesthetic possibilities of materials and textures.

In 2020, the museum acquired 40 works from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation—all created by Black artists who were seldom recognized for their contributions. Though many were made from recycled […]

Past meets present in this immersive exhibit that juxtaposes futuristic digital imagery with two paintings from the museum’s permanent collection. Drawing on disparate influences, from video games to Baroque architecture, […]

This exhibit documents the buildings, parks and businesses that lined Washington’s historic promenade from the White House to the U.S. Capitol in the 19th century. Pictured: A depiction of President […]

John Singer Sargent traveled extensively throughout Spain, capturing its landscapes, marine scenes, street life and architecture in his work. This exhibit assembles more than 120 of the artist’s oils, drawing […]

Mysteries have long surrounded the acclaimed 17th-century Dutch master’s process and technique. During covid closures, National Gallery researchers performed a deep study of the museum’s four Vermeer paintings, as well as two 19th-century forgeries, using advanced imaging technology. This exhibit shares their findings.

Now in its 40th year, this popular event showcases an array of furniture, American and European silver, art, Asian antiquities, porcelain, Americana, antique and estate jewelry, glass, textiles, contemporary fine […]

The museum shares the work of six winning teams that participated in a three-year, $20 million initiative to find innovative ways to close the economic gap in the affordable-housing market. […]

Closed to visitors for renovation, the museum continues to engage patrons with online content as well as displays on its exterior. In her first U.S. installation, Austrian artist Katharina Cibulka […]

The Rubell Museum DC, 
a new venue dedicated to contemporary art, has opened in a reinvigorated 1906 building in Southwest DC that once housed Randall Junior High.
Its inaugural exhibit honors […]

Modern design buffs will will get a very unique look into the homes of the architects, designers, and builders that created them on this self-guided tour. Organized by the Modern […]

Italian artist Giuseppe De Nittis, who was very much a part of the Paris art scene in the 1870s and ’80s, is known for his detailed realism. The Phillips unveils […]

This assemblage of paintings on paper and cloth created between 1700 and 1900 celebrates the palaces, lakes and mountains of Udaipur, a city in northwestern India, illustrating the region’s cultural […]

The first exhibition outside of Italy to be 
dedicated to this 15th-century master displays some 75 of his creations, from large-scale narrative paintings to drawings that once graced the homes […]

Charm City icon John Waters bequeathed 372 objects from his art collection to the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2020. This exhibit reveals about 90 of the works, including paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints by Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Cy Twombly and Andy Warhol.

Matisse has long inspired contemporary artist Stanley Whitney, who was commissioned to create stained-glass windows for the BMA. This exhibit explores parallels between the artists’ work. Several Matisse prints—including The Lagoon (above)—are shown with sketches Whitney made for the commission.

The BMA shines a light on Senegal-born Omar Ba, who explores the notion of power through paintings, modular works and a site-specific mural. The artist portrays a range of people and subjects along with real and imagined creatures in his commentary on society.

During his short career, New York-based Darrel Ellis redefined Black male identity and family through his complex paintings, drawings and photography. This show presents 60 works on paper plus archival materials that chronicle the life and work of the mixed-media artist, who died in 1992 at age 33 of an AIDS-related illness.

Local designers partner with showrooms to create festive tabletops and seasonal décor. A party on December 6 kicks off the celebration; displays remain on view through the 16th. Home & […]

This immersive, 10-screen film installation by Sir Isaac Julien focuses on 19th- century abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the influences of technology and images on human relations. Spanning space and time, the display interweaves Douglass’ speeches and writings with reenactments of his travels around the globe.

Charles Lang Freer, patron of the museum’s Freer Gallery, was intrigued by ancient Egypt. He visited the country three times, collecting works ranging from glass vessels to amulets and a Byzantine jewelry set, many of which will be on view for the first time in this exhibit. asia.si.edu

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 remarkable ceiling decoration, from preliminary studies to large-scale models.

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, mysterious, unnamed space,” the multi-media artist pushes viewers to contemplate the divine—which, like these colors, she says, “is unnamable, untouchable, intangible.”

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 […]

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, […]

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.

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]