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 (794-1185). Handscrolls, hanging scrolls and albums are on view.

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 biometric data, from heart rates to fingerprints, to examine the notions of anonymity and community.

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, creating color prints using a succession of wood blocks.

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 jewelry boxes, brushes, combs, cosmetic pots and perfume bottles. Costumes and prints on loan illustrate these luxurious rituals.

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 Sánchez’s artistic journey from Cuba to Europe, New York and finally to Puerto Rico, where she now lives and works.

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 with local artists, observe demos and enjoy hands-on learning, while “Hip Pop,” will introduce emerging artists.

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 bright, abstract compositions. Jackson’s influences range from the Renaissance to modernism and are inspired by his study of African cultures and American jazz.

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 Native Americans who resided there because the land was part of their reservation. This exhibition sheds light on the conflict through photographs, documents and plans.

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, Sol LeWitt, Louise Lawler and Gerhard Richter. Drawings, photographs and prints explore politics and personal identity.

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 as an artist of color, adorns traditional forms with contemporary likenesses, including those of Frederick Douglass and Freddie Gray.

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 globe, from urban, graffiti-covered courts to the playgrounds of South Africa.

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, architectural drawings and decorative plaster molds are among the many treasures to be showcased.

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 to combat homelessness in the region.

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 hand-carved wood sculptures and installations respond to Sounds, a book of woodcuts by Wassily Kandinsky, and paintings by Paul Klee from the museum’s collection.

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 are now on display, including figures, landscapes, nocturnes and interiors.

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 of media, including sculpture, painting, lacquerwork, ceramics, textiles, woodblocking and metal, by luminaries such as Yayoi Kusama, Issey Miyake and Murakami Takashi.

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 from the museum’s Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection.

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, then watch the sculptures “grow” mythical flora and fauna through the AR lens.

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 enclave of Glaswegian artists. This collection of 165 furniture pieces, textiles, posters, drawings and ceramics explores the impact of Mackintosh and Glasgow Style.

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, 18 AU graduate students curated this exhibit of 87 pieces from the Corcoran Legacy Collection, dividing them into five sub-groups and juxtaposing them in provocative […]

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 time, by luminaries including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and James McNeill Whistler.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]