Art Galleries and Museums Tour - GPSmyCity · paintings, sculptures, photographs, pottery, and works of silversmiths, wordsmiths and musicians. It is truly a remarkable collection

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Art Galleries and Museums TourLooking for inspiring and notable art venues? Washington D.C. is well-appreciated for the widerange of art museums and galleries that it offers. Take this self-guided tour and discover thetreasures hidden by these art institutions.

Guide Location: USA » Washington D.C.# of Sights: 11Tour Duration: 3 hour(s)Travel Distance: 5.1 Km or 3.2 Miles

Please note:

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List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour:

A) Art Museum of the AmericasB) Corcoran Gallery of ArtC) Renwick GalleryD) National Museum Of Women In The ArtsE) Smithsonian American Art MuseumF) National Portrait GalleryG) National Gallery of ArtH) Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenI) National Museum of African ArtJ) Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of ArtK) Freer Gallery of Art











A) Art Museum of the Americas

Prior to visiting the Organization of American States' Art Museum of theAmericas, it is highly recommended that you explore its back garden. Just ashort walk from the Mall, this remarkable piece of gardening containsboxwood, azaleas and annuals, plus a murky yet lovely pool presided overby a dominant statue of the Aztec god of flowers, Xochipili. The museumitself, established in 1976, holds a rich collection of Latin American andCaribbean art -- from colonial to contemporary – presented in variousmedia. Also, it hosts regular exhibitions, educational programs and lecturesdevoted to the art and culture of OAS member states.Hours: Tue-Sun: 10am-5pm

Image Courtesy of Flickr and izik

B) Corcoran Gallery of Art

The Corcoran Gallery of Art is the largest privately supported culturalinstitution in Washington, DC. The museum's main focus is American art.The permanent collection includes works by Rembrandt, Eugène Delacroix,Edgar Degas, Thomas Gainsborough, John Singer Sargent, Claude Monet,Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, GeneDavis, and many others. There are always several exhibitions on display,regularly featuring contemporary work on the second floor with modern andearly American work on the first floor.Founded in 1869, the Corcoran is theoldest and largest non-federal art museum in the District of Columbia.Construction of that building started before the Civil War. The building, nearcompletion, was used by the government as a warehouse during the CivilWar. It was finally completed in 1874 and the gallery opened to the public.Its mission is to be "dedicated to art and used solely for the purpose ofencouraging the American genius."

Hours: Wednesday 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Thursday-Sunday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Kmf164. Sight description based on Wikipedia.



C) Renwick Gallery

Note: Closed until early 2016 for renovation.

The Renwick Gallery is a branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.The building itself is a National Historic Landmark having been built in 1861as a private art gallery. During the Civil War the gallery was used by theArmy as a storage facility. After the war ended, the building wasrefurbished and was opened in 1874 as a public art gallery. It has beenused for various other purposes over the years and was finally opened in1972 as the Renwick Gallery. It now houses the Smithsonian’s collection ofdecorative arts and crafts.

Kids will love seeing all the art that is created from clay and wood, mediumsthat they manipulate in school and at home. Another piece that kids of allages will enjoy is the Game Fish by Larry Fuente. This colorful work of art ismade from game pieces that are shaped to look like a trophy fish. It isbeautiful and fun. Pieces are also made of glass, metal and fibers. A masshanging of art in the Grand Salon is also a feast for the eyes. All pieces arefrom the 19th century to the present and include one-of-a-kind pieces. Oneof the most beautiful collections is the stained glass windows.

The Renwick Gallery is located at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, literally juststeps away from the White House. Admission is free and they are open dailyfrom 10-5 except they are closed on Christmas day. Allow at least a coupleof hours at the gallery to see most of the exhibits.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and AgnosticPreachersKid. Sight description based onWikipedia.

D) National Museum Of Women In The Arts

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) has the distinction ofbeing the only museum in the world whose sole focus is women artists. Thehome of the museum is the old National Masonic Temple and is listed onthe National Register of Historic Places. It is ironic that the Masons do notallow women to be members of their temples. The building was refurbished;beautiful marble staircases were added and the lodge is now home to themuseum. There are four floors of art and exhibits to view. The fifth floor hasa performance hall where public programs are held. Pictures are onlyallowed using the ambient light available. The museum features apermanent collection of around 3,000 works. There are also traveling



exhibitions to view.

Collections of art work in the museum begin in the 16th century withEuropean artists and goes through the present. The works are comprised ofpaintings, sculptures, photographs, pottery, and works of silversmiths,wordsmiths and musicians. It is truly a remarkable collection withsomething for everyone.

The museum is also instrumental in beautifying New York Avenue (wherethe museum is located in Washington, D.C.). There is a sculpture projectgoing on to bring art to the entire street around the building. There arealready sculptures in place, so the entire area is a delight to view. TheNMWA is located at 1250 New York Avenue, N.W. and is open 10-5 dailyexcept on Sundays when the hours are noon-5. It is closed on ThanksgivingDay, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. There is a fee to visit thismuseum.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Polynova

E) Smithsonian American Art Museum (must see)

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C.with an extensive collection of American art. The museum displays a varietyof American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the US.The museum has two innovative public spaces, the Luce Foundation Centerfor American Art and the Lunder Conservation Center. The Luce FoundationCenter is the first visible art storage and study center in Washington, D.C. Itpresents more than 3,300 objects in 64 secure glass cases, whichquadruples the number of artworks from the permanent collection on publicdisplay. The Luce Foundation Center features paintings densely hung onscreens, sculptures, crafts and folk art objects arranged on shelves, andminiatures and medals in drawers that open. Large-scale sculptures areinstalled on the first floor. The Lunder Conservation Center is the first artconservation facility that allows the public permanent behind-the-scenesviews of preservation work.

Tip:The covered courtyard makes a great place to enjoy a snack (bring yourown or visit the café) or just for a rest stop.

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am-7pm



Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Aude. Sight description based on Wikipedia.

F) National Portrait Gallery (must see)

The National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery in Washington, D.C.,administered by the Smithsonian Institution. Its collections focus on imagesof famous individual Americans. It resides in the National HistoricLandmarked Old Patent Office Building, located just south of Chinatown inthe Penn Quarter district of downtown Washington.

The third oldest federal building in the city, constructed between 1836 and1867, the marble and granite museum has porticoes modeled after theParthenon in Athens, Greece. Hallmarks of the National Portrait Gallery'spermanent collection include the famous "Lansdowne" portrait of GeorgeWashington; the Hall of Presidents; and its extensive selection of portraitsof remarkable Americans from all walks of life. Since its reopening on July 1,2006, the Portrait Gallery has also focused on contemporary portraiture inits "Portraiture Now" series, and in its triennial contemporary portraitcompetition, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.

Why You Should Visit: Fabulous variety of historical and cultural portraits in a range of styles!

Tip:Watch for free performances (often held in the atrium area in the middle ofthe museum) and tours, which help connect the public with the pieces.Also, be sure to visit the wonderful Luce Foundation Center in the EastWing. It has three mezzanine floors packed with other art forms (sculpture,paintings, crafts) and the architecture is spectacular.

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am-7pm

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Bobak Ha'Eri. Sight description based on Wikipedia.



G) National Gallery of Art (must see)

The National Gallery of Art is a national art museum, located on theNational Mall in Washington, D.C. The museum was established in 1937 forthe people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of theUnited States Congress, with funds for construction and a substantial artcollection donated by Andrew W. Mellon. The Gallery's collection ofpaintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorativearts traces the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to thepresent, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americasand the largest mobile ever created by Alexander Calder.

The Gallery's campus includes the original neoclassical West Buildingdesigned by John Russell Pope, which is linked underground to the modernEast Building designed by I. M. Pei and the 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden.Temporary special exhibitions spanning the world and the history of art arepresented frequently.

Why You Should Visit: The collection is presented in a conventional way but very effectively – youcan just start at one end and travel to the other, then back again. Between sections are little garden spots with fountains, ideal to make astop and soak the atmosphere.There are audio guides and tours available free of charge and there is noentrance fee.

Tip: Come as early as possible and start in the West building. Be the first one togo upstairs to the central atrium for the best photos of the amazing spacewith massive columns and fountain under a Pantheonic dome.

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 11am-6pm

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gryffindor. Sight description based on Wikipedia.



H) Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum beside theNational Mall, in Washington, D.C. The museum was initially endowedduring the 1960s with the permanent art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn.It was designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft and is part of the SmithsonianInstitution. It was conceived as the United States' museum of contemporaryand modern art and currently focuses its collection-building andexhibition-planning mainly on the post–World War II period, with particularemphasis on art made during the last 50 years. Nowadays it is one of the"big five" modern art museums in the U.S. The building itself is as much ofan attraction as anything inside. Notable artists in the collection include:Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, Henry Moore,Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, Hans Hofmann, Morris Louis,Kenneth Noland. Outside the museum is a sculpture garden, featuringworks by artists including Auguste Rodin, David Smith, Alexander Calder,Jeff Koons.

Hours: Monday-Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm

Image Courtesy of Flickr and Adam, L'Iconoclaste Banal. Sight description based onWikipedia.

I) National Museum of African Art (must see)

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art began as a private museum in1964 and then became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1979. Themuseum is subterranean with a beautiful garden planted on top and isconnected to the Arthur M. Sackler and Freer Gallery of Art.

A large portion of the artwork comes from areas of Africa south of theSahara Desert. The collection includes sculptures, musical instruments,paintings, photography, jewelry, and furniture. Masks are also included.There are about 9,000 pieces in the collection including the WaltDisney-Tishman collection.

Part of the museum's focus is education. The Warren M. Robbins libraryhouses an impressive 32,000 volumes on African culture, history, and art.The performing arts are also on display at times with dance and musicbeing performed. Radio Africa provides free streaming so the music ofAfrica can be heard around the world.



The Museum is located at 950 Independence Avenue, SW on the NationalMall. The main entrance is located in the Enid Haupt Garden. Admission isfree and docent tours are available at selected times (check before going).

Why You Should Visit: Much beautiful and symbolic art of all kinds, while the building itself, in itstwisting walls and stairs, is clearly part of the attraction.While there are many outlandish and interesting masks, there are lots ofother media as well, and the sculptures are particularly fascinating.There's usually no noise, no distraction and you have time to look, admireand think.

Tip:You will need to spend at least a couple hours to explore it all, as each ofthe 3 levels takes time to really enjoy.

Opening Hours: Daily: 10am-5:30pm

Image Courtesy of Flickr and cliff1066™

J) Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art is part of the Smithsonian Institution.The gallery opened in 1987 after Dr. Sackler donated his collection of Asianart to the Smithsonian. He also donated some $4 million to help build themuseum so the art could be appreciated by all.

Art exhibits include ceramics from Southeast Asia as well as sculpture fromthe same area and the Himalayas. There is a special section devoted to thearts of China. Coming soon to the gallery will be a permanent exhibit calledthe Buddhist Shrine Room.

The Sackler Gallery along with the Freer Gallery boast one the largestcollections of Chinese art outside of China. The collection of jade isabsolutely stunning and some of the pieces are 5,000 years old. Also do notmiss the lacquer collection. The work on the food boxes is truely amazing.

Be sure to check out the traveling exhibitions. The Sackler Gallery isrenowned for bringing in exhibits of Asian art. Additionally, the Gallery ishome to an extensive Asian art research library. This library is open to thepublic, no appointment needed. About half of the volumes collected are in



Asian languages.

The majority of the Gallery is located underground. Because of that designthere is an amazing rooftop garden that is at ground level on the Mall. Thegardens carry on the Asian theme of the collections in the Gallery.

Hours: Monday-Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm

Image Courtesy of Flickr and rosemanios. Sight description based on Wikipedia.

K) Freer Gallery of Art (must see)

The Freer Gallery of Art, along with the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, forms theSmithsonian Institution's national museums of Mediterranian and Asian art.The Freer contains art from the Mediterranian, East Asia, South Asia,Southeast Asia, the Muslim world, the ancient Near East, and ancient Egypt,as well as American art. It is located on the south side of the National Mallin Washington, D.C., and along with the Sackler Gallery, has an annualaverage of 900,000 visitors.

The Freer adheres to the mission statement of the Smithsonian, which is toincrease and diffuse knowledge through exhibitions, research, andpublications. The Freer houses 25,518 objects spanning 6,000 years ofhistory, including but not limited to ancient Egyptian stone sculpture andwooden objects, ancient Near Eastern ceramics and metalware, Chinesepaintings and ceramics, Korean pottery and porcelain, Japanese Byōbu,Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture. Collections span from theNeolithic to modern eras.

Why You Should Visit:As free, massive, art galleries go, this is quite respectable. The Freer hasmore permanent exhibits and the Sackler has more temporary exhibits. The two spaces – Freer & Sackler – connect to each other underground,making a substantial enclave (and quite a nice place to be in bad weather). Then again, if the weather is nice, you can enjoy the peace and quiet of abeautiful aboveground courtyard towards the western side.

Tip:If you do nothing else, visit the Peacock Room, a magnificent result ofWhistler's imagination and talent (under natural light every 3rd Thursday).The coolest, most Instagrammable installation has got to be Terminal – agold & thread maze using the spires found on top of temples and mosques.



Opening Hours: Daily: 10am-5:30pm

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Raul654. Sight description based on Wikipedia.


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Art Galleries and Museums Tour - GPSmyCity · paintings, sculptures, photographs, pottery, and works of silversmiths, wordsmiths and musicians. It is truly a remarkable collection