Washington, DC, is a beautiful place in the United States, and it is comprised of an art world where all art forms can be witnessed. So, let us talk about the art gallery in Washington, DC, that stores and reserves these art forms.

1. Art Gallery in Washington DC

Washington, DC, is the nation’s capital, where several art galleries and museums are housed for artists to visit and admire the painting collection reserved in these buildings. Artworks of local artists or famous US artists can be found inside the beautiful art gallery in Washington, DC. Various private art museums in Washington, DC, such as the Phillips Collection near Dupont Circle.

Let us see some beautiful art galleries in Washington, DC, that one must visit.

2. Famous Art Gallery in Washington DC

Let’s see some famous art galleries in Washington, DC, and find out the main features that make them distinctive.

2.1. National Portrait Gallery

• Free entry and open daily.
• They have a collection of around 220,000 artworks.
• They consist of three types of art collections:
  • Primary Collection is a collection of 11,000 portraits in paintings, miniatures, and sculptures.
  • Photographs Collection – It comprises 220,000 original photographic images along with original negatives.
  • Reference Collection consists of 80,000 portraits in prints, drawings, paintings, and sculptures.
• You can explore the collection based on subjects and themes, including accessories, activity, dress, genre, and theme.
• They also provide learning programs for students’ excursion trips.

2.2. National Gallery of Art

• Admission is free and open daily.
• It was founded 80 years ago by Andrew W. Mellon and consists of American and European masterpieces.
• They have a collection of sculptures, decorative arts, prints, drawings, photographs, and paintings as large as more than 150,000 artworks.
• Dian Woodner donated a painting of Leonardo Da Vinci known as Grotesque Head of an Old Woman to the National Gallery of Art, preserved here for years.
• They provide learning programs for teachers, children, families, and adults, facilitating learning with various resources.

2.3. Smithsonian American Art Museum

• It represents the modern American artists’ collection from three centuries for free.
• You must visit the Renwick Gallery, located near the White House and sits on the National Mall, to explore the craft and decorative art from the museum.
• It has a vast collection that includes:
  • Asian American Art
  • Latinx Art
  • Contemporary Art
  • Time-Based Media
  • American African Art, and more
• The Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery Library provides knowledge through more than 180,000 collections of art history, biography, and crafts.
• It provides year-long learning facilities to teachers, students, and people of all ages for not only learning purposes but also professional development.

2.4. The Kreeger museum

• It is the legacy of philanthropists Carmen and David Lloyd Kreeger, who started amassing the modern art collection in the year 1959.
• The permanent collection features work by Edvard Munch, Alexander Calder, Max Beckmann, Jean Dubuffet, Frank Stella, Clyfford Still, and James Rosenquist.
• It comprises a collection of paintings, sculptures, prints, works on paper, illustrated books, and African, Asian, Roman, and Pre-Columbian.
• It provides programs like Jazz at the Kreeger, a drawing workshop, yoga in the Sculpture Garden, and more.
• They also help provide education programs to serve students with art knowledge through tours and internships.

2.5. National Museum of Women – in the Arts

• It is the first museum in the world that is fully dedicated to women artists.
• Wilhelmina Cole Holladay and Wallace F. Holladay are the founders of this museum.
• It consists of a collection of the contributions of artworks by Frida Kahlo, Flemish painter Clara Peeters, Georgia O’Keeffe, and many more.
• NMWA campaign helps them restore, revitalize, and reimagine their iconic museum. They are supported by Washington, DC.
• They provide a virtual learning experience, professional development, ABC Curriculum, partnerships, teacher in-service, and resources for learning.

2.6. Hirshhorn Museum

• It is the national museum of modern art. Also, it holds a very difficult and admirable contemporary art form.
• The museum has a shop comprising unique toys, jewelry, illustrated art books, and catalogs.
• It also has the best coffee and gelato shop designed by renowned artist Hiroshi Sugimoto.
• It has a significant art collection of over 12,000 masterworks from the 20th-century contemporary art world.
• It facilitates featured events such as story time, art cart, and film for learning purposes.

2.7. Freer Gallery of Art

• It is located under the museum known as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
• It has housed the premier collection of Asian art and the most important collection of works by James McNeill Whistler.
• It comprises Asian paintings, Japanese Ink drawings, and Korean ceramics from the very famous movement of the 19th century that came to be known as Whistler’s Peacock Room.
• It exhibits currently Freer’s global network, a collector’s eye, a perfect harmony, setting the bar, and many more.
• They have a collection of samplers, including a jar with a lid, a mask, a pink dress, a vase in mimikuchi form, and many more.

2.8. Rubell Museum

• It remains open from Wednesday to Sunday.
• It has free and paid ticket criteria. To know, click here.
• The art collectors Mera and Don Rubell started their way to the opening museum after marriage in 1964 and worked hard to set up this contemporary art museum for all.
• It brings you the Inaugural group exhibition of  “What’s Going On,” more than 190 works by 50 artists.
• You can plan your event in the museum with a maximum capacity of 200 at varying prices. Check out here.

Here is our famous art galleries in Washington DC list that briefly describes the art galleries and museums.

3. Final Note

You see, so many art galleries are there to visit and explore the history in the forms of sculptures and paintings in Washington, DC.

It is a perfect place to visit and experience every kind of art, be it modern, contemporary, African, Asian, American, or any other. Special exhibitions are organized in Washington DC for a short walk, artist talks, and display only paintings from six centuries that exist within those museums or national art galleries.

Also, the art gallery in Washington, DC provides various learning and educational programs for students, teachers, and people of all ages to help them grow, learn, and develop professionally.

Some of them also provide internships to help people gain insight into the inner workings of these museums. Visit and Explore! 

Last Updated on July 19, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology