Get Your Culture Fix: Highlights of Current D.C. Museum Exhibits

 If you are lucky enough to live in or visit the D.C. metropolitan area, you'll never be at a loss for something to do to satisfy your cultural desires.  

 

Whether spending a night at the Warner Theater taking in a show, catching live music at the Birchmere in Alexandria, seeing an opera at the Kennedy Center, or attending a film festival, something interesting exists for people of all interests.

Even the most cultured New Yorkers or Londoners relocating to the D.C. area will find something to suit their taste.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

 At the top of the cultural heap stand D.C.'s many wonderful museums.  Without even checking the statistics, it's probably fair to say that Washington D.C. hosts more museums (and monuments) per square mile than any other city in the U.S. and likely the world.     

Almost no topic or area of interest is spared throughout D.C.'s museum community.  Museums exist for everything from fine art to history, science, sculpture, architecture, technology, spies and counter-intelligence, and everything in between.  The large collection of Smithsonian Museums lining the National Mall has the added benefit of being free to visitors.

The Smithsonian Castle: The 1st and original museum
on the National Mall

 

Here's an overview of some of the current and upcoming exhibits at a few D.C. museums.

National Gallery of Art:  Located at Fourth and Constitution Avenues, NW D.C.

  •  "Crosscurrents: American and European Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection" -- this exhibit features a whole host of works including James Whistler's "Symphony, No. 1: The White Girl" and John Singleton Copley's "Watson and the Shark".  The exhibit runs through December 31st.






  • "The Art of the American Snapshot 1888-1978" -- a historical overview of photography before the age of digital cameras.  Runs through December 31st.



 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery:  Located at 1050 Independence Avenue, SW D.C.

 

 

"Patterned Feathers, Piercing Eyes" -- running from November 10th through April 13th, this exhibit features paintings, fans and scrolls from Japan portraying various feathered animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 National Air and Space Museum: Sixth Street and Independence Avenue, SW D.C.  This museum is a perennial favorite among D.C. residents and visitors alike.

 

  • "America by Air" opens on November 17th and will be a new permanent exhibition outlining the history of passenger air travel. 

    The exhibit will feature a 1914 Curtiss JN-4 mail carrier, a DC-7, and the nose of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.  Old stewardess uniforms and information on Charles Lindbergh's 1927 transatlantic flight will complete the exhibition.

 

 Phillips Collection: 1600 21st Street, NW D.C.

 

 

"Impressionists by the Sea" running through January 13th features 60 late 19th century paintings of the Normandy coast by such masters as Monet, Manet, Renoir, Sargent and Whistler.

 

 

 

 

D.C.'s enormous collection of museums truly houses the cultural treasures of our country.

One more reason to move to the D.C. and Northern Virginia region

 

12 Comments on Get Your Culture Fix: Highlights of Current D.C. Museum Exhibits

One place I want to go to is the Smithsonian Museum. Well, at least if I eve come out that way I'll be sure to read up on your posts for info first!

10/20/2007 01:00 PM by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman (RA), HAWAII Real Estate & HAWAII Relocation (Century 21 Liberty Homes -Mililani, Hawaii)


Hi Brian..I don't know about you..but I live in the DC area and I keep telling myself I am going to go to these musuems..I didn't even know some of the ones you mentioned here existed....

10/20/2007 01:49 PM by Konnie McKee Northern Virginia Real Estate (Konnie McKee )


SALLY:  You could spend a couple weeks and not see everything that the Smithsonian Museums have to offer.  I may update this monthly for those culture-seekers.  If you ever make it, I'll pencil you in for a private tour.

10/20/2007 03:44 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


KONNIE:  When I first moved here 12 years ago, I was a museum-a-holic.  Since then, I still go to some of the special exhibitions and two or three times a year, make it to a museum.  Last time I went to one was in July on my birthday.  But you are right, there are so many activities and we get so busy, that sometimes we just have to take some time to be tourists in our own town.

10/20/2007 03:46 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


Brian- It is on my list of goals to see the Smithsonian Museum. When our 5 year old is about 8, I think that would be a good time. I have a friend who lives partly in Maryland and party here in Wellington and she told me the FBI tour is outstanding. There is also a very good Holocaust Museum I heard is there. Katerina

10/23/2007 07:50 PM by Nestor & Katerina Gasset, Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes (International Properties and Investments, Inc.)


KATERINA:  All of the Smithsonian Museums are fascinating, especially the American History Museum (closed right now for renovations), and the Natural History Museum.  The FBI tour is great -- I'vealso been meaning to get over to the Drug Enforcement Agency Museum located in Arlington, near the Pentagon, but it is only open during the week. 

The Holocaust Museum is a very difficult but moving museum to explore.  Definitely be prepared to be emotionally drained after spending time there.  I also personally enjoy the National Archives which often has special exhibits, the National Gallery and other art museums, as well as revisiting the Capitol Building and all the monuments. 

At 5 years old, kids wouldn't have enough appreciation -- I think 8 is a better time. 

10/23/2007 07:55 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


Brian- I agree with you totally on all that you just wrote. I look forward to going there in about 3 years. Katerina

10/23/2007 07:57 PM by Nestor & Katerina Gasset, Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes (International Properties and Investments, Inc.)


Brian - Last time I was up there I did get to go to the Air and Space Museum with my son and he absolutely loved it!  I am totally brainwashed... but the other one we got to go see was the museum with all of the animals in it.      

I would love to go to the National Gallery of Art - but that will have to be a trip without the 2 yr old.   

10/23/2007 07:58 PM by Naoma Doriguzzi -Wachovia Mortgage (Wachovia Mortgage, FSB)


Brian, The two newsest museums are, of course, the National Air and Space at Dulles - it has lots of old planes plus the Enola Gay.  Also, my new favorite is the National Museum of the Marine Corps here in Sunny Prince William County, Karen

10/23/2007 08:01 PM by Karen Kruschka (RE/MAX Allegiance)


NAOMA:  The museum with the animals is the Natural History Museum -- another great one.  I was just there in July for the umpteenth time.  No, I don't think a 2 year old would appreciate or be excited by the National Gallery.

10/23/2007 09:22 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


KAREN:   I've been meaning to go to both of these.  My wife went to the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space a couple years ago with her family (but I was out showing real estate).  And I had plans this summer to head down to the Marine Corps Museum, and hope to make it there soon.  I heard it's great.

10/23/2007 09:26 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


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Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate
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