Celebrating its 27th year, this annual festival creates an 11-block “art walk” where more than 200 artists display everything from paintings to fiber art, ceramics and works in metal, leather […]

This exhibit features some 60 works created by nine female Aboriginal artists living in remote communities across Australia. The pieces on view—some specially commissioned for the exhibit—encourage viewers to contemplate […]

Originally woven by women in Turkey’s nomadic communities as adornments for tents and caravans, kilims represent intricate examples of abstract art and artistic ingenuity. This exhibit marks the debut of […]

This exhibition examines portraits of women by Camille Corot, a 19th-century French artist best known for his landscape paintings. Corot, who bridged France’s neoclassical era and Impressionist movement, influenced modernist […]

Thick, gestural brushstrokes and loose bands of color characterize Irish artist Sean Scully ’s acclaimed “Landline” series, now making its U.S. debut. The series spans a variety of media,including watercolor, […]

Photographs, sculptures, drawings and documentary materials form this extensive survey of the works British sculptor Rachel Whiteread created during her 30-year career. Whiteread’s pieces chart the transition from late 20th- to […]

Los Angeles-born artist Mark Bradford mines the universe, Greek mythology and his own personal life in monumental abstract collages made of paper and scavenged materials such as billboards, fliers and […]

The introduction of the printing press and photography in the 19th century challenged traditional Japanese woodblock printmakers to adapt their craft. This exhibit examines the fall and resurrection of this […]

The Walters will display nearly 250 Chinese snuff bottles delicately crafted from stone, porcelain, lacquer and precious metals during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Reflecting the artistic virtuosity of their designers, […]

A pop-up couture show and sale invites visitors to view and purchase wearable art in a reimagined, fashion-forward presentation of clothing, jewelry and accessories. More than 60 designers and artists […]

The first major retrospective of avant garde director John Waters ’ visual art in his hometown of Baltimore brings together more than 160 photographs, sculptures, sound works and videos made since […]

This survey of Nordic art displays works by 54 artists—many of them women—in genres ranging from landscape and portraiture to abstract and conceptual. Artists include Edvard Munch and Anders Zorn.

Members of the remodeling and home-improvement community converge at the annual Home & Garden Show, where attendees may purchase handmade crafts and gifts, or simply find inspiration for their home […]

This museum-wide event features floral designs inspired by works in the VMFA collection. The festivities kick off with Kaleidoscope of Flowers, a gala in the museum’s atrium; on subsequent days, […]

While tattoos and piercings are commonplace today, body modifications in the ancient Americas were invested with spiritual transcendence. This exhibit explores these traditions via works spanning 1200 BCE to 1500 […]

This exhibit at The American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington presents paintings and drawings inspired by astronomy, biology, physics and spectra. The show largely focuses on the […]

Korean artist Yun Suknam, a pioneering feminist, creates portraits of women past and present. Anchored by a wood assemblage portrait of her mother, this exhibition also features paintings of American […]

This exhibit focuses on works on paper by Pakistani-American artist Ambreen Butt, who applies traditional Persian miniature painting to contemporary subject matter.

This exhibit examines the ways in which Japanese artists from the Momoyama and Edo periods (1573-1868) reimagined classical narratives and poetry dating back nearly 1000 years to the Heian period […]

Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is known for blurring the lines between art and technology. In his DC debut, he has designed hypnotic audiovisual installations that measure and incorporate visitors’ own […]

This exhibit sheds light on the methods behind chiaroscuro printmaking—an art form that flourished in 16th-century Italy. Artists interpreted works by masters of their time, such as Titian and Raphael, […]

During the 18th century, the French word toilette came to signify the pampered process of dressing. This exhibit from Hillwood’s collection features elegant period accoutrements for the toilette such as […]

The first museum retrospective of Cuban artist Zilia Sánchez examines her prolific career, spanning nearly 70 years. About 65 paintings, works on paper, shaped canvases, sculptural pieces and ephemera trace […]

This juried craft show presents handmade works by more than 650 jewelry, clothing and home-décor artisans from around the country. “Let’s Make” sessions will offer attendees an opportunity to interact […]

This exhibit spotlights 25 paintings done by American artist Oliver Lee Jackson during the last 15 years. The large-scale pieces—some of which have never been shown publicly—depict black figures against […]

Section 14 refers to an area of downtown Palm Springs, California that was the site of a land battle that lasted from the 1940s to the 1960s between developers and […]

The brainchild of a women-led collective of five artists, this digital installation celebrates spring with interactive, visual and environmental experiences revolving around DC’s cherry blossom season.

A gift from dedicated contemporary-art collectors Mary and Paul Roberts, 35 post-War works on paper are on view by such significant American artists as Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Diebenkorn, Jasper Johns, […]

The activist and ceramicist Roberto Lugo has masterminded the first installation in the Walters’ nearby annex, 1 West Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore. Lugo, who aims to illustrate his experience […]

An enduring slice of Americana, the basketball hoop is the subject of 75 large-format prints on display by photographer Bill Bamberger. His images capture hoops of every kind across the […]

The National Building Museum mined its collection of 320,000 objects related to the built environment to put on this exhibit of architectural objects depicting animals as decorative elements. Sketches, sculptures, […]

Participants on this popular, self-guided tour can visit custom homes and renovations completed by top area builders and developers. Proceeds benefit HomeAid Northern Virginia, which connects regional builders with non-profits […]

Indian artist Ranjani Shettar’s “Earth Songs for a Night Sky” is part of The Phillips Collection’s series on the intersection between old and new in art, materials and techniques. Shettar’s […]

Museum founder Charles Lang Freer amassed the world’s largest collection of watercolors by James McNeill Whistler, most of which have never left the confines of the Freer. More than 50 […]

This is the first exhibit to highlight how animals have been represented in Japanese art over the past 16 centuries. The assemblage of 315 works focuses on a wide variety […]

This exhibition showcases designs for DC landmarks that never made it past the planning stages. Discover unbuilt concepts for Memorial Bridge, the Washington Monument and more through historical prints and paintings […]

Sculptor and glass artist Ginny Ruffner combines traditional glasswork with augmented-reality technology to create an interactive experience. Viewers download an app that superimposes digital information over colorless glass tree stumps, […]

Through August 30 • This year’s exhibition of recent acquisitions showcases 25 new portraits of individuals who have influenced history and culture in the U.S. Subjects include Morgan Freeman, Audrey […]

The Art Nouveau movement experienced a boom at the end of the 19th century, popularizing works by Scottish artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who was part of an […]

After the Corcoran Gallery of Art closed its doors in 2014, American University acquired nearly 9,000 works from its collection. Taking cues from the museum’s late, unconventional director Walter Hopps, […]

Drawing from the gallery’s permanent collection, this exhibit traces the history of pastels from their Renaissance origins to the present day. Seventy works are on display, some for the first […]

This exhibit celebrates women artists whose work reflects major 20th-century movements, from Cubism to Abstract Modernism. Georgia O’Keeffe, Maria Martinez, Grace Turnbull and Grace Hartigan are among those whose paintings, […]

Collectors Barbara and Aaron Levine recently made a gift to the Hirshhorn encompassing more than 50 historical artworks—including 35 by French-American icon Marcel Duchamp, who pioneered the use of everyday objects in 20th-century art. This exhibit of Duchamp’s most famous ready-made sculptures, drawings and prints shares space with works by contemporaries whom he inspired.

While celebrated Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai is best known for his iconic woodblock print The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa, he created thousands of works during his long life. Charles Lang Freer assembled the world’s largest collection of Hokusai’s prints, paintings and drawings, many of which will be on view in this yearlong […]

Japanese American artist Chiura Obata married East and West by depicting American landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite using Japanese calligraphic brushstrokes and washes of color. More than 100 of Obata’s sketches, woodblock prints, hanging scrolls and personal effects will be on display, many for the first time.

Ongoing • This unique exhibit celebrates African heroes through tales of human accomplishment that reflect the continent’s trials and triumphs. Pulled from the museum’s permanent collection, each of the nearly 50 works of art on display is paired with an historic African individual who embodies the values reflected in the selected work. africa.si.edu

In 19th- and 20th-century sub-Saharan Africa, artistic expression was divided by gender, with men glorifying leaders in wood and metalwork while women employed textiles, beads, jewelry and more for everyday creations. This exhibit of 24 pieces from the BMA’s collection demonstrates the critical role women played in shaping African social identity. artbma.org

The Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore taps into its archive of costumes, clothing and accessories for an exhibit spanning four centuries. Hermès, Pierre Cardin and “Project Runway” alum Christian Siriano are among the designers featured; fashion pieces, rooted in the state’s history, have connections to former slaves, presidents and royalty. mdhs.org

Through February 9 • Six women photographers chronicle Iran’s social and political realities in this timely show. On view are images by Hengameh Golestan, who documented women protestors following the 1979 revolution; work by Newsha Tavakolian, Shadi Ghadirian, Malekeh Nayiny, Gohar Dashti and Mitra Tabrizian explores themes of defiance, memory, home and displacement in modern […]

Known for tonal compositions featuring solitary female figures, turn-of-the-20th-century American painter Thomas Wilmer Dewing was part of a bustling network of collectors and art dealers. This exhibition explores the influence of Dewing’s friendships and social life, supplementing his art with archival photography. asia.si.edu

In the 17th and 18th centuries, wealthy families decorated banquet tables with extravagant centerpieces made of sugar and fine porcelain. Displayed in the Hillwood House dining room, an elaborate centerpiece by present-day Dutch artist Bouke de Vries reinterprets these sculptures with seven vignettes made of sugar, porcelain and pieces of plastic toys—all ironically depicting an […]

More than 40 dealers from the U.S. and Europe will display their wares during this annual antiques show. Dubbed “Iconic George!,” the event includes an exhibit of George Washington-themed decorative arts from the Winterthur Museum. A preview gala, designer panels and dealer talks will also take place. washingtonwintershow.org

Fashioned out of jade, agate, onyx, amethyst, lapis and other semiprecious stones, about 100 decorative objects from the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate will be on display at Hillwood. The collection includes a chalice commissioned by Catherine the Great, a Fabergé snuff box and a Florentine mosaic tabletop.

Influential Washington, DC, artist Robert Franklin Gates (1906-1982) was a muralist, painter, printmaker, draftsman—and an American University professor of art for more than 40 years. This exhibit, featuring works in watercolor, oil-on-canvas and more, spans Gates’ career.

A solo show of American artist Ellen Lesperance’s work features gouache paintings based on clothing worn by women activists, warriors and cultural figures. The exhibit reveals seven pieces from the artist’s ongoing “Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp” series, inspired by garments worn at the end of the last century by feminists protesting U.S. nuclear weapons […]

Organized by the Arab World Institute and UNESCO, this virtual exhibition takes viewers to three Middle Eastern cities: Palmyra and Aleppo in Syria and Mosul in Iraq. All three have been recently devastated by war; this exhibit intends to preserve them for future generations via large-scale projections and digital reconstructions of iconic monuments and ancient […]

Painting en plein air was a popular trend during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when intrepid artists journeyed to breathtaking European spots to practice their craft outdoors. This collection of around 100 oil sketches from the period includes works by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable and more. nga.gov

GWU undergraduate students curated this exhibit of letters, prints, maps and other artifacts from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection. Their selection showcases George Washington’s life through the places that shaped him: Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Washington, DC. museum. gwu.edu

Before becoming an artist, modernist Moira Dryer was a set designer for the avant-garde theater company Mabou Mines. This exhibition of 26 of her paintings and sculptures considers how Dryer’s theatrical roots influenced her work; photographs and personal notes provide context. phillipscollection.org

More than 600 jewelry, clothing, furniture and home-décor artisans from across the country gather at this annual juried marketplace to showcase their contemporary, handcrafted wares.  craftcouncil.org

This landmark exhibition spotlights the artistic achievements of more than 115 Native American women from the U.S. and Canada. The collection of 81 works spans antiquity to the present and features a variety of media including textiles, beadwork, sculpture, paintings and photography. americanart.si.edu

This extensive exhibit brings together thousands of textile fragments, garments, rugs and other works of art assembled over a lifetime by the prolific collector and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen, who was fascinated by indigenous cultures and vanishing artistic traditions around the world.

For the past 50 years, influential Latin American photographer Graciela Iturbide has employed black-and-white gelatin silver prints to create powerful, visceral images of her native Mexico. This exhibit of 140 photographs documents indigenous Mexican cultures and customs, from exuberant fiestas to processions honoring the dead. nmwa.org

This exhibit showcases works by 20th- and 21st-century African American artists alongside those of early-20th-century European modernists with whom they engaged, exploring the friction and connections among them. Pieces by Romare Bearden, Renee Cox and Carrie Mae Weems, for example, are juxtaposed with works by Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso, among others. 76.137

The National Gallery pays tribute to the Paris Opéra’s 350th anniversary with an exhibit of around 100 works by Edgar Degas, who was known for his compelling depictions of the group’s dancers, singers and musicians both on stage and behind the scenes. Paintings, pastels, drawings, prints and sculpture are all part of the mix.

In 1804, Prussian naturalist and author Alexander von Humboldt spent six weeks in the U.S., exchanging ideas about art, science, politics and nature with luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson and Charles Willson Peale. This exhibit examines von Humboldt’s impact on American cultural development through 100 paintings, sculptures, maps and artifacts by Peale, George Catlin, Frederic […]

This exhibit of modern Japanese painting and calligraphy, from the Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, showcases works by Japanese painter Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924), who studied the art of ancient Japan and that of China’s Ming and Qing dynasties. He developed an idiosyncratic style emphasizing a shared East Asian cultural fabric that feels relevant today.

Following the blockbuster 2017 exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors,” the Hirshhorn Museum will showcase new acquisitions by the visionary Japanese artist with installations already in its permanent collection. Among the […]

Notable Georgetown homes will be open to visitors for the 89th annual Georgetown House Tour. The event will include a parish tea and a panel discussion with Waterworks co-founder Barbara Sallick on her new book, The Perfect Kitchen, and DC architect Christian Zapatka, who designed some of the homes on the tour.

Occupying the whole of The Walters’ annex, 1 West Mount Vernon Place, this exhibit of vibrant majolica ceramics features immersive installations on each floor—including a recreation of a Victorian parlor, reflecting the era in which majolica was first introduced. Three hundred fifty pieces will be displayed around themes of food, fashion, immigration and labor.

The National Gallery pays tribute to the Paris Opéra’s 350th anniversary with an exhibit of around 100 works by Edgar Degas, who was known for his compelling depictions of the company’s dancers, singers and musicians against the backdrop of stage and backstage locales. Paintings, pastels, drawings, prints and sculpture are all part of the mix. […]

More than 25 designers will transform a new, two-story, 9,600-square-foot house in McLean (left) into a show house open for on-site tours (Wednesday through Sunday) as well as virtual visits. Designed by Harrison Design and built by Artisan Builders, the five-bedroom, five-bath residence features a billiard room, cinema and wine bar. Participating designers are Alaina […]

The sixth installation of the Women to Watch series demonstratesthe transformation of paper into complex works of art. Pieces by 22 emerging and under-represented artists from around the world will show what can be done when paper is cut, folded, torn, burned or embossed. Creations include a striking installation (left) by Angela Glajcar. nmwa.org

Fresh out of art school in 1906, Edward Hopper spent a year in Paris and subsequently made several trips to France. On loan from the Whitney, 11 works created during this period depict street scenes and landscapes that foretell elements which would characterize the artist’s mature body of work. phillipscollection.org

Raising the specter of how viewers experience art, Grosse will take over the central gallery of the museum’s Contemporary Wing with five of her exuberant, large-scale paintings enveloping its walls. The German artist will also create a piece in situ. artbma.org

In their depiction of the female form, central African artists in the 19th and early 20th centuries often paid homage to motherhood and the pivotal role women played as the pillars of family and morality. This exhibit assembles nearly 40 objects including monumental headdresses and sculptures of mythic female figures. artbma.org

A collection of murals displayed on the museum’s west lawn was created in response to last summer’s social-justice protests in Washington and beyond; six additional murals celebrate the life of the late civil rights champion U.S. Representative John Lewis. Murals on view in DC’s Gallery Place neighborhood are also part of the show. nbm.org

Responding to a population emerging into the world after a period of hibernation, the museum has mounted a show of 20 photographs from its collection that explore nature in all of its complexity. Works by 11 women photographers are on view, including For the Last Tree by Mwangi Hutter. nmwa.org

Visitors to this Richmond venue can peruse nearly 300 artifacts salvaged from the lost Egyptian cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus, which flooded more than 1,000 years ago. The exhibit spotlights jewelry and coins, utilitarian and ritual objects, colossal statues and more. vmfa.museum

Nearly 100 oil sketches created en plein air capture scenes ranging from a simmering Mount Vesuvius to tumultuous seas along the Baltic coast. Notable 18th- and 19th-century luminaries such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Richard Parkes Bonington (above) are represented. nga.gov

This exhibit spans the 60-year career of Baltimore-based sculptor and printmaker Valerie Maynard. A highlight is her seminal “No Apartheid” series from the 1980s and 1990s, which combines varied artistic techniques. artbma.org

This exhibit chronicles the rise of Chicano graphics amid the 1960s social-justice movement that led to new political and cultural consciousness among people of Mexican descent in the U.S. Also on view, current works trace how Chicanx artists have adapted those methods and messages for today. americanart.si.edu

Built in the eighth century, the Tokaido Road connecting present-day Tokyo to Kyoto had become a well-traveled thoroughfare by the early 1600s. Artist Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock prints depicting landmarks along this 320-mile passageway, first published in 1833, later became one of Japan’s most iconic print series. Twelve of these prints are on view, providing viewers […]

Since the mid-1800s, Black craftswomen in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, have fashioned worn clothing, sacks and other fabric remnants into one-of-a-kind quilts. The Baltimore Museum of Art recently acquired five quilts by Gee’s Bend artists; four of these will be on view in the American Wing’s Berman Textile Gallery. artbma.org

This virtual, participatory exhibit combines the work of nine artists with submissions from the public, all of which will examine women’s role in providing sustenance and healing. The artists will share their own kitchen tables via photos, videos and stories that depict food as a creative medium; cooking-related submissions from the public will be layered […]

Ukranian-born artist Vladimir Kanevsky began his career as an architect before moving to the U.S. in 1989. After designing porcelain tableware for a project, he switched gears and wound up pursuing his fascination with botany as a flower sculptor. During winter’s throes, a profusion of the artist’s creations will bloom at Hillwood Museum. Each petal […]

This exhibit commemorates Mexican and Central American independence from Spain while exploring cultural exchanges between indigenous and European peoples. Perusing 19 works of art including books, gold adornments and ceramic vessels, viewers can reflect on the vibrant societies that once flourished in what today are Mexico and Central America. thewalters.org

This exhibit focuses on 15 large-scale landscapes by contemporary painter Lisa Yuskavage. Noted for their exuberant, ethereal flair, the works encourage viewers to immerse themselves in the mysterious worlds Yuskavage creates. artbma.org

Edward Hopper often conveyed a sense of loneliness and isolation by painting subjects in hotels, motels and boarding houses. This Richmond exhibit highlights 65 paintings and works on paper by the artist depicting such settings, plus 35 pieces by John Singer Sargent, David Hockney and others who explored similar themes. vmfa.museum

Though he earned a degree in architecture, DC-based Alan Karchmer has devoted his career to photographing buildings rather than designing them. This show presents images of structures Karchmer has captured around the world—including Washington National Cathedral’s Visitor Gateway (below), designed by SmithGroup Architects—and sheds light on his creative process.

Harlem-born artist Tschabalala Self explores the significance of the Black female form in contemporary culture through her work. Two sculptures and 13 paintings that incorporate stencils, tracings, prints, casts and mechanically stitched lines of thread are on view.

Modern Australian artist Marley Dawson has created ghosts, a two-part kinetic sculpture installation that riffs on The Phillips Collection’s art and architecture. One installation consists of five chairs in brass, suspended from the gallery’s domed stairway (above), while the other is a wall-mounted work made of hundreds of brass rods, hung to spark a dialog […]

In 1804, Prussian naturalist and author Alexander von Humboldt spent six weeks in the U.S., exchanging ideas about art, science, politics and nature with luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson and Charles Willson Peale. This exhibit examines von Humboldt’s impact on American cultural development through 100 sculptures, maps, artifacts and paintings—including Albert Bierstadt’s 1864 Valley of […]

From 1954 to 1956, Jacob Lawrence painted a 30-panel series entitled “Struggle…From the History of the American People.” It depicts early decades of the republic through the words and actions of founding fathers as well as enslaved people, women and Native Americans. Assembled for the first time in 50-plus years, the panels—including We crossed the […]

In her depictions of immigrants seeking a better life abroad, contemporary Chinese-American artist Hung Liu speaks volumes about exile, identity and the Asian Pacific American experience. Her multi-layered portraits, many based on photographs, will be on view in the artist’s first major East Coast exhibit.

Rebecca Kamen’s paintings and sculpture explore the confluence of art and science. Working with scientists and researchers, 
she creates abstractions that shed light on the world 
around us.

In 2006, artist Diane Burko switched her focus from landscape painting to work that captures the effects of global warming. Informed by science and technology, pieces on view include Sphere 4 (right) and a 56-foot-long “World Map” series 
documenting changes in glaciers and reefs.

In celebration of The Phillips’ centennial, Spanish-born artist Daniel Canogar 
created a digital work that seamlessly “melts” together pieces from the 
museum’s permanent collection in an ever-changing abstract animation. 
Following its September 8 YouTube debut, “Amalgama” opens in the 
gallery on September 14.

Now in its 30th year, this festival will showcase the work of more than 200 artists in the fields of fine art and craft. Visitors will have an opportunity to engage with artists from around the country and will also enjoy dance performances, a family-friendly art park and more. The event is hosted by Tephra […]

This event puts a modern spin on the ancient Jewish festival of Sukkot, which celebrates the fall harvest. During the holiday, families build temporary structures with partially open roofs called sukkahs, where they share meals, rejoice and even sleep. Notable DC architects have taken on the challenge of designing sukkahs of their own that explore […]

The work of seven contemporary artists reveals the profound ways in which humans impact the planet. A photograph by Edward Burtynsky (above) documents the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  

Northern Virginia’s largest self-guided home tour encompasses properties in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince 
William Counties. Visitors are welcome 
to view houses from 11 am to 5 pm 
both days.

During a 43-year friendship with Henri Matisse, Baltimore collector Etta Cone acquired more than 700 works by the French master—the majority of which she bequeathed to the museum upon her […]

This exhibit features more than 50 paintings, collages, prints and drawings by artist, educator and art historian David Driskell, who died last year at the age of 88. A 1955 […]

Anil Revri’s complex geometric abstractions embody spiritual ideas from the East and West. Born and raised in India and a U.S. resident for nearly 40 years, the artist employs tantric […]

Pieces in this show depict a cross-section 
of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish life. Among the 27 paintings on view: landscapes by Jacob van Ruisdael and 
Salomon van Ruysdael and winter […]

This global survey on glass-making features objects, installations, videos and performances by more than 50 artists, designers and architects from 23 countries. Works on view include Promise (right), made of blown and sculpted glass and mirror by Nadège Desgenétez. americanart.si.edu