Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Art Galleries and Museums Tour Looking for inspiring and notable art venues? Washington D.C. is well-appreciated for the wide range of art museums and galleries that it offers. Take this self-guided tour and discover the treasures hidden by these art institutions. Guide Location: USA » Washington D.C. # of Sights: 11 Tour Duration: 3 hour(s) Travel Distance: 5.1 Km or 3.2 Miles Please note: This walk is also featured in the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" downloadable on iTunes App Store and Google Play. The app provides turn-by-turn GPS navigation to guide you from one tour sight to the next, so you will never be lost. The app offers additional walking tours in Washington D.C.. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit https://www.gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Art Museum of the Americas B) Corcoran Gallery of Art C) Renwick Gallery D) National Museum Of Women In The Arts E) Smithsonian American Art Museum F) National Portrait Gallery G) National Gallery of Art H) Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden I) National Museum of African Art J) Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art K) Freer Gallery of Art Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 2 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 2 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - A) Art Museum of the Americas Prior to visiting the Organization of American States' Art Museum of the Americas, it is highly recommended that you explore its back garden. Just a short walk from the Mall, this remarkable piece of gardening contains boxwood, azaleas and annuals, plus a murky yet lovely pool presided over by a dominant statue of the Aztec god of flowers, Xochipili. The museum itself, established in 1976, holds a rich collection of Latin American and Caribbean art -- from colonial to contemporary – presented in various media. Also, it hosts regular exhibitions, educational programs and lectures devoted 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 cultural institution 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, Gene Davis, and many others. There are always several exhibitions on display, regularly featuring contemporary work on the second floor with modern and early American work on the first floor.Founded in 1869, the Corcoran is the oldest and largest non-federal art museum in the District of Columbia. Construction of that building started before the Civil War. The building, near completion, was used by the government as a warehouse during the Civil War. 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 of encouraging 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. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - 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 1861 as a private art gallery. During the Civil War the gallery was used by the Army as a storage facility. After the war ended, the building was refurbished and was opened in 1874 as a public art gallery. It has been used for various other purposes over the years and was finally opened in 1972 as the Renwick Gallery. It now houses the Smithsonian’s collection of decorative arts and crafts. Kids will love seeing all the art that is created from clay and wood, mediums that they manipulate in school and at home. Another piece that kids of all ages will enjoy is the Game Fish by Larry Fuente. This colorful work of art is made from game pieces that are shaped to look like a trophy fish. It is beautiful and fun. Pieces are also made of glass, metal and fibers. A mass hanging of art in the Grand Salon is also a feast for the eyes. All pieces are from the 19th century to the present and include one-of-a-kind pieces. One of the most beautiful collections is the stained glass windows. The Renwick Gallery is located at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, literally just steps away from the White House. Admission is free and they are open daily from 10-5 except they are closed on Christmas day. Allow at least a couple of hours at the gallery to see most of the exhibits. Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and AgnosticPreachersKid. Sight description based on Wikipedia. D) National Museum Of Women In The Arts The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) has the distinction of being the only museum in the world whose sole focus is women artists. The home of the museum is the old National Masonic Temple and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is ironic that the Masons do not allow women to be members of their temples. The building was refurbished; beautiful marble staircases were added and the lodge is now home to the museum. There are four floors of art and exhibits to view. The fifth floor has a performance hall where public programs are held. Pictures are only allowed using the ambient light available. The museum features a permanent collection of around 3,000 works. There are also traveling Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 - exhibitions to view. Collections of art work in the museum begin in the 16th century with European artists and goes through the present. The works are comprised of paintings, sculptures, photographs, pottery, and works of silversmiths, wordsmiths and musicians. It is truly a remarkable collection with something for everyone. The museum is also instrumental in beautifying New York Avenue (where the museum is located in Washington, D.C.). There is a sculpture project going on to bring art to the entire street around the building. There are already sculptures in place, so the entire area is a delight to view. The NMWA is located at 1250 New York Avenue, N.W. and is open 10-5 daily except on Sundays when the hours are noon-5. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. There is a fee to visit this museum. 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 variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the US. The museum has two innovative public spaces, the Luce Foundation Center for American Art and the Lunder Conservation Center. The Luce Foundation Center is the first visible art storage and study center in Washington, D.C. It presents more than 3,300 objects in 64 secure glass cases, which quadruples the number of artworks from the permanent collection on public display. The Luce Foundation Center features paintings densely hung on screens, sculptures, crafts and folk art objects arranged on shelves, and miniatures and medals in drawers that open. Large-scale sculptures are installed on the first floor. The Lunder Conservation Center is the first art conservation facility that allows the public permanent behind-the-scenes views of preservation work. Tip: The covered courtyard makes a great place to enjoy a snack (bring your own or visit the café) or just for a rest stop. Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am-7pm Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 - Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 9 - 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 images of famous individual Americans. It resides in the National Historic Landmarked Old Patent Office Building, located just south of Chinatown in the Penn Quarter district of downtown Washington. The third oldest federal building in the city, constructed between 1836 and 1867, the marble and granite museum has porticoes modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Hallmarks of the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection include the famous "Lansdowne" portrait of George Washington; the Hall of Presidents; and its extensive selection of portraits of remarkable Americans from all walks of life. Since its reopening on July 1, 2006, the Portrait Gallery has also focused on contemporary portraiture in its "Portraiture Now" series, and in its triennial contemporary portrait competition, 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 of the museum) and tours, which help connect the public with the pieces.