While temporarily closed for renovation, the museum will display a series of public commissions on its scaffolded façade. The first is a mural by DC-based MISS CHELOVE, also known as […]

Chronicling the life and work of American abstract artist Joan Mitchell, this retrospective presents paintings, pastels and works on paper. Viewers will discover the influence poetry and music had on […]

Historical maps, prints and documents explore the complex relationship between the city and its adjacent rivers. Above: art from an 1866 publication, National Farm School for Children of Colored Soldiers […]

The museum shines a light on the myths and legends surrounding subjects living on the fringes of society in early modern Japan. Works on view reflect on the virtues of […]

Visitors can experience five installations by Yayoi Kusama, who at 93 is still creating art in her native Tokyo. The show includes sculptures, an early painting, photographs and two of […]

This exhibit assembles more than 130 works including paintings, sculptures and photographs to reflect upon the African Diaspora since the 17th century. Artists from Africa, Europe, the Americas and the […]

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 […]

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 […]

Born in Pakistan and living in New York, Salman Toor upends tradition and outdated notions of power and sexuality in his work.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 […]

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 Katzen will display more than 40 of her abstract geometric expressions, from paintings and drawings to sculpture and lithographs. american.edu/cas/museum

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 and printed books; a dish by Ogata Kenzan (pictured) dates back to the 1700s. asia.si.edu

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 on view include Kate Roberts’ Gates to Nowhere (pictured), a hanging work made by dripping bits of unfired clay on fishing line.

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 are amplified.

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 at a 1930 event inspired the vibrant watercolors on view.

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 materials and leftover scraps of fabric, these sculptures, paintings, reliefs and quilts represent deep cultural traditions and outstanding artistic achievement. nga.gov

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, Monaghan’s work poses provocative questions about consumerism and today’s technology-driven society.

Rather than working in a vacuum, many artists seek feedback and criticism from their peers. Eight pairings of works on view shed light on how artists support each other outside […]

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. Conceived by MASS Design Group, the exhibit shares the winners’ novel ideas in the areas of housing finance, construction and resident services. Pictured: Breakthrough Challenge […]

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 covers the north-facing façade with a monumental net of bright-pink tulle bearing stitched messages that address gender-based inequity and social power structures.

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 the late 
Marvin Gaye, an alumnus of the school, and his 1971 album, “What’s Going On,” which voiced powerful commentary on issues of its day. […]

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 Architecture + Design Society and local partner/sponsor listModern, this tour invites guests to explore some of the area’s most spectacular modern homes. Architects, designers, and […]

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 paintings from all periods of his career, including The Place du Carrousel: The Ruins of the Tuileries (pictured). Work by some of his comrades, including […]

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 and political evolution.

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 of 
Venetian elite.

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 & Design is the media sponsor of the event, which benefits Children’s National Hospital.
 Pictured from last year's Fete: A stunning table by Myron Wolman in […]

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 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 changed America. Subjects include seminal figures such as Cicely Tyson, tennis champion Althea Gibson (pictured) and Oprah Winfrey.

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 to acquire Bonvin’s paintings, amassing what became the largest collection of his work in existence; Walters’ son later bequeathed the collection to the city of […]

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 admired, along with work created by women—from an 18th-century Fabergé pencil holder to a 1790 French painting of Princess Elizabeth (pictured).

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, the show also offers comparisons to Jewish traditions.

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 work to political satire in the Nixon era.

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 art to shed light on our existence and to affect change.

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 and nude studies.

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 as Devin Allen, Monica Ikegwu and Amani Lewis are presented alongside apparel and other objects that embody hip hop culture.

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.