The gallery space invites the visitor to draw their own conclusions from the artwork they encounter, rather than having a curator tell them what a work is ‘supposed’ to mean. The galleries are curated to emphasize the experience of the visitor. Part of what makes it so unique is the lack of didactic material. “Glenstone boasts one of the most impressive collections of postwar art and is on a lush campus of 230 acres. “It’s arguably one of the coolest and most unique institutions in the country,” says Panbechi-Cole. Option 1: A 40-minute drive northwest from the National Mall, Glenstone is a private contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland. Enjoy a scoop of gelato at NGA’s Espresso & Gelato Bar or take a break in the NGA Sculpture Garden where you can sit and admire Robert Indiana’s AMOR or Louise Bourgeois’s Spider.įor your afternoon viewing, Panbechi-Cole offers up two possible itineraries one stays local and one ventures farther afield. “I greatly admire pop art, so I always visit Roy Lichtenstein’s Look Mickey, Andy Warhol’s A Boy for Meg, and Wayne Thiebaud’s Cakes, which is one of the most visually delightful pieces in the NGA’s collection,” Panbechi-Cole says.Īfter this much art appreciation, you’ll surely need a pick-me-up. The East Building houses modern and contemporary art by the likes of Pollack and Picasso. The NGA’s West Building holds works by van Gogh as well as masterpieces by Rembrandt and Monet. “There’s also an impressive work by Raphael called The Alba Madonna that is breathtaking,” she says. That’s where you’ll find the only da Vinci painting on permanent public view in the Americas, Ginevra de’ Benci. Panbechi-Cole, a self-declared Renaissance nerd, suggests heading straight to the museum’s Italian Renaissance collection. “For a day of art-minded museum hopping in the DMV, what we call the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area, start your day at the National Gallery of Art, one of the nation’s most important cultural repositories,” recommends Ariana Panbechi-Cole, program manager for curriculum and instruction at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Only the most endurance-minded travelers should aim to see more than three major museums in a day-distances on the National Mall can be deceptive, so the walk between them is longer than people anticipate.”Ĭourtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum/Courtney Rothbard If you have energy for one more museum, pop over to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which Lewis says is not just great for art lovers but also places you “in the perfect neighborhood for a post-museum dinner: right across the street is Zaytinya by José Andrés.”Īccording to Lewis, “A grand day at the Smithsonians is eminently doable.
Plus, you get to eat with a view of a megalodon, an extinct mega-toothed shark that used to swim (and dine) in the nearby Chesapeake Bay. The Washington Post named the on-site Ocean Terrace Cafe among the best of the Smithsonian museum restaurants. It includes the Bones Exhibit, the Hall of Mammals, the Hall of Fossils (including a T-Rex), and the Gems and Minerals exhibit where you can see the Hope Diamond, the world’s largest blue diamond, renowned for its clarity and-Lewis notes-its reputed curse.
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One popular exception is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which still operates on free timed-entry passes.įollow that up next door with a wander through the largest Smithsonian by collection size, the National Museum of Natural History. Most of D.C.’s museums have resumed walk-up visits since the pandemic restrictions have eased, so advance tickets are no longer needed for most.Consider joining guided tours to enrich the experience.Start your day early to beat the crowds still lingering over breakfast.Then prioritize the galleries and works you’re most eager to see in each. Consult a map to order your multimuseum itinerary by location.Do you prefer dinosaurs to fine art? Space capsules and Prince’s guitar or portraits of presidents? A little planning ahead means you can arrange a day that suits your own interests. You don’t have to do a museum marathon.We spoke to local experts about which museums they like to pair together and got their tips on where to grab a bite or a drink along the way. Don’t be fooled into thinking that Washington is simply a static repository of culture-recent arrivals like the National Museum of African American History and Culture will soon be joined by newer institutions like the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women’s History Museum. Some of this country’s greatest museums and galleries are in Washington, D.C.
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