Smithsonian American Art Museum
As the name implies, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is a treasure trove of over 40,000 pieces of American art from three centuries of history. The collection ranges from 19th century landscapes to American impressionist pieces to New Deal projects. Visitors can see works such as Santa Bárbara and Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, the oldest pieces in the collection, at the American Colonies and the Emerging Nation Exhibit. Works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Josphe Stella and Franz Kline are on display in the Twentieth-Century Art Exhibit, while glass, ceramic, wood, fiber and metal objects populate the Contemporary Crafts and Decorate Arts Exhibit.
Recent acquisitions include Beth Lipman's Bancketje, an exquisite sculpture of 400 glass objects arranged on a 20-foot-long oak table, and Jenny Holzer's For SAAM, a 28-foot-tall light sculpture. The museum also features rotating exhibitions throughout the year.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is open daily from 11:30 AM to 7 PM. It is closed Christmas. Admission is free.
