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What to do and see in National Mall, District of Columbia (DC): The Best Art Museums
Washington DC is a hub for American politics and history. Attracting as many school field trips as it does travelers the district offers a peek into the country’s democratic origin. There are plenty of free museums to take advantage of but the real draw here is the memorials and monuments dedicated to great American leaders. Spend some contemplative time at the Reflecting Pool within the National Mall, among the most patriotic places in the country.
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1. National Gallery of Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 9,190 reviews
We belong to you. The National Gallery of Art—the nation’s museum—preserves, collects, exhibits, & fosters understanding of works of art.
Reviewed By kazoochance - New Haven, United States
Just go here and check out both spectacular buildings - the modern IM Pei East Wing and the the lovely old classical West Building - especially by taking the underground passageway - and feel the differences and greatness of both classical and modern culture! Go stand in front of so many paintings you’ve seen in art books and marvel at Van Gogh and his luminous color and thick paint just inches away, and Gauguin with his bright colored patterns and shapes on the other side of the room... be amazed at the brilliant details of light in the Dutch masters and Salvador’s Dali’s Last Supper... And take your kids! Just go by feel and see what pulls you ...and maybe appreciate your good fortune for getting to be alive and able to appreciate that there is so much beauty in the world after all.
2. The Kreeger Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 116 reviews
The Kreeger Museum is an art museum located in the former residence of Carmen and David Kreeger. Designed by Philip Johnson and Richard Foster, the Museum houses the Kreegers’ collection of 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and outstanding examples of African and Asian art.
Reviewed By HeaveNEarth - Fairfax, United States
A small wonderful art museum with a small collection of Chagall, Monet, Picasso, Miro, Renoir, Cezanne and, yes, good collection of Rodin sculpture. Only drawback is a small parking lot. The building the art museum houses itself is a piece of art. We actually sat down at a library and read some art books. We haven't done that for years. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
3. Smithsonian Institution Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 718 reviews
The Smithsonian Institution has two museums of Asian art: the Freer Gallery of Art, which opened to the public in 1923, and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, which welcomed its first visitors in 1987. Together known as the Freer|Sackler, the museums are physically connected by an underground passageway and ideologically linked through the study, exhibition, and sheer love of Asian art. Please note: The Freer Gallery of Art will be closed to the public from January 2016 until summer 2017. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Library, and Archives will remain open for the duration of the renovation.
Reviewed By 649kennethb - Toronto, Canada
Although the holdings of these two galleries would arguably be better off displayed as one, fully integrated, collection they nonetheless represent one of the best collections of Asian art that I have ever seen. I am particularly interested in Iran and was stunned at the breadth and quality of the Persian artifacts, especially those of the Sassanian period. Even my Iranian friends back home, after viewing my photos, said that many of the pieces stand up against those on display in the best museums in Tehran. This experience paired nicely with the temporary exhibition of works by six female photographers, either living in contemporary Iran or members of the Persian diaspora communities that have done so much to enrich cultural life in the West. I was heartened to see that more recent works by Gohar Dashti are ever so slightly less bleak than what I had seen from her in the past in that they at least seem to see some future for Iran - though, interestingly, the images of the decayed remnants of Iranian buildings being reclaimed by nature are bereft of people. Mitra Tabrizian is also represented by a few, well-chosen works. Elsewhere, the Japanese screens are absolutely stunning and, along with the famed Peacock Room, are the highlights of a museum where everything on view is a masterpiece. The Freer/Sackler was my favourite of all the Smithsonian museums I visited.
4. Renwick Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,118 reviews
A museum of American craft art that begins with James Renwicks architectural design of the building itself.
Reviewed By clairemC5031KQ - Charlottesville, United States
Our timing could not have been more perfect....we walked into the Renwick at 11:59 a.m., having no idea that the docent led tour started at noon. I have visited my sister in the D.C. area for thirty years, and why I have never been to this museum remains a mystery. Located across the street from the White House, this wonderful museum is a National Historic Landmark and part of the Smithsonian, so it’s free. With 23 years experience as a docent, our guide, Cristina, made the museum come alive. We were the only 2 people on the tour, so we had a private experience. Built by Mr. Corcoran in the late 1800’s, it functioned as a museum for years, but then was closed for years. In the 1970’s, there was talk of demolishing the building, but Jackie Kennedy came to the rescue. The museum opened four years ago with a special exhibit called Wonder. One of the light installations remains in the veranda. Part of the permanent collection is objects celebrating crafts as art, and Cristina gave us great background on the artists featured. My favorite piece was by Lino Tagliapietra, a master glass blower from Murano, Italy. His piece, Mandara, was an exquisite piece akin to a large vase. It was a special technique that fused glass bubbles to create a distinctive work that I swear shimmered. There are changing exhibits, and the two that were there when we visited were terrific. Ginny Ruffner is a glass artist who had superimposed augmented reality technology onto her barren sculptures. The effect is wild...you either download an app to your phone, or use on their the museum’s devices that look like at etch a sketch. You aim this at the sculpture and a flower springs to life....it was so cool! Michael Sherrill, a potter from North Carolina, started his career doing whimsical teapots, but his work morphs into sculptures of botanical wonders, creating shadow silhouettes on the walls like a Calder sculpture. Both of these exhibits run until Jan. 5, 2020.
5. Corcoran Gallery of Art
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 144 reviews
D.C.'s largest private art museum has impressive collections of both American and European art.
6. Art Museum of The Americas
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 25 reviews
The first museum of Latin American and Caribbean modern and contemporary art in the US is located just steps from the Washington Monument and the White House. AMA | Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of the American States (OAS) is a hub for contemporary art produced in and about the Western Hemisphere. We promote social change by providing a lively space for educational exchange, new ideas, and creative expression. Within and beyond our gallery walls, we enrich our local and international communities by interconnecting artists, museums, and audiences across the Americas.
Reviewed By Kittygal - Los Angeles, United States
Tucked away between the Department of the Interior and the Organization of American States is this small, unique gallery. It's in an historic building so be aware---lots of stairs. I visited during a retrospective by Guatemalan artist Rodolfo Ablarach (beautifully detailed pen and ink works focusing on the eye) and an exhibition of pieces by iliana emilia and Scherezade Garcia (chairs were a focus). There's also a small permanent collection of South American and Caribbean artists. The museum is free, donations are welcome (it's not a part of the Smithsonian system). If you enjoy Latin American art, do visit. There's a statue of Simon Bolivar across the street, too.
