Step inside this art haven with a collection spanning over 150,000 works. You'll encounter works of art from renowned European masters like Matthias Grünewald, Albrecht Dürer, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Eugène Delacroix, and many others. In addition to that, the gallery also has a beautiful collection of drawings, photographs, paintings, sculptures, medals and art which take you on a journey to the Middle Ages and back to the present. Once you’ve toured the gallery, explore the serene oasis of the Sculpture Garden. Adorned with beautiful sculptures by renowned artists, the garden offers a peaceful space for contemplation and reflection.
Take a trip back in time and explore the much celebrated American history at the National Museum of American History. Opened in 1962 as the Museum of History and Technology, it was renamed the National Museum of American History in 1980. Focusing on collecting, preserving, and honoring history, the Museum displays the American journey through the ages; it resides a beautiful gallery that portrays the emergence of the American national anthem along with other innovative and cherished artifacts. Housed within this multi-floor building are exhibition halls and rooms that illustrate significant events pertaining to the past of America.
One of two Smithsonian museums that feature Asian art, the Freer Gallery houses more than 26000 works from all points of the Asian continent, including China, Japan, Korea and India. These works include Asian porcelains, Japanese screens and Islamic art. The works of American artists influenced by Asia are also featured. The most spectacular of these is James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room, designed for a British shipping magnate and moved to the United States from London in 1904. The Sackler Gallery is interconnected with this gallery via underground exhibition space and houses an impressive collection of Chinese paintings, ceramics and jades.
From El Greco's "The Visitation" to Byzantine and pre-Columbian artworks, jewelry and mosaics, Dumbarton Oaks is filled with elegant treasures. Built in 1801, the estate achieved its height of glory in the wealthy 1920s when it served as the high-society showpiece of Robert Bliss and his heiress wife, Mildred. The gardens occupy 10 acres above Georgetown and include terraced lawns, winding footpaths and elaborate fountains.
Established in 1910, the National Museum of Natural History aims to inform people about the natural history of the earth through its exhibits. Nestled within this museum is the famous Hope Diamond, which has gained notoriety for supposedly carrying a curse. Apart from that, some of the museum's popular galleries include The Discovery Room, Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Dinosaurs/Hall of Paleobiology, Insect Zoo, Teleology: Hall of Bones, Ocean Hall, Hall of Human Origins, and many more.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery's focus is the collection of early Chinese jades and bronzes donated by Arthur M. Sackler—a wealthy medical researcher and publisher. However, the museum houses a variety of Asian art dating as far back as 3000 BC. Displays of special note include Persian manuscripts, Indian paintings and Japanese prints. Works from China, Southeast Asia, Korea and Tibet are also featured. Concerts and art performances augment the visitor's tour. There is also a hands-on kids program called ImaginAsia with crafts, storytelling and more.
Step inside this art haven with a collection spanning over 150,000 works. You'll encounter works of art from renowned European masters like Matthias Grünewald, Albrecht Dürer, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Eugène Delacroix, and many others. In addition to that, the gallery also has a beautiful collection of drawings, photographs, paintings, sculptures, medals and art which take you on a journey to the Middle Ages and back to the present. Once you’ve toured the gallery, explore the serene oasis of the Sculpture Garden. Adorned with beautiful sculptures by renowned artists, the garden offers a peaceful space for contemplation and reflection.
Visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to take a look at Blackbird, the fastest jet-plane in the world; or the famous space vehicle Discovery that has completed 39 space missions to date. The center is an extension of the National Air And Space Museum and displays aeronautical equipment and aircrafts to the public. There are two hangars and an Observation Tower that provides a panoramic view of the adjacent Washington Dulles International Airport. Also, it is here that the Airbus IMAX Theater is located. The center also lets visitors take a look at various restoration projects. A visit to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is informative and insightful for children and adults alike.
The Laurel Museum is set in a restored 19th-century mill worker's residence. Spread across 2590 square feet (240.62 square meters), it opened its doors in 1996. The property was bought by the city after years of neglect and was converted into a museum documenting the town's history. Get a glimpse of this Prince George's County metropolitan’s metamorphosis from 1870 to the present age through artifacts, photographs, books, tools and textiles. There is also a gift shop inside the facility. It is now run by the Laurel Historical Society.