Washington DC Art Galleries, Museums, Supplies & More

Best art galleries Washington DC museums supplies classes your area

Over the next few minutes we will be breaking down everything we know about art in Washington DC in full detail and our first section will fully cover the best art galleries and museums near you.

After that we will get into a variety of other topics like art supply stores, events, festivals, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, local sculptures and statues, art classes, studios for rent, and the top frame shops in your area.

You can jump straight to any section that interests you most by using the table of contents on the left and we are also including a Washington DC art map with all of the spots we mention throughout the post pinned on it.

If you want you can look through our other posts on the Northeast region right there.

Best Art Galleries & Museums In Washington DC

When you visit the best art galleries and museums in Washington DC you are visiting some of the best in the world:

The National Gallery of Art features almost 150,000 works including Ginevra de’ Benci which is the only picture by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and groups of works by Titian and Raphael. The National Gallery is open 363 days a year from 10am to 5pm and offers a wide range of special exhibitions and public programming while admission to the museum is always free.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum houses one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of American art with over 7,000 creators represented including the world’s largest collection of New Deal works. Nam June Paik, Jenny Holzer, David Hockney, Georgia O’Keeffe, and many others are among the notables represented in the collection that is available from 10am to 5:30pm daily.

The Phillips Collection was America’s first museum of contemporary art opening in 1921 and today it houses almost 6,000 works. They offer education and community engagement activities for audiences of all ages and backgrounds in addition to presenting selections from the permanent collection and special exhibitions. The The Phillips Collection also hosts The Sunday Concerts which is one of the capitals longest-running music programs and you can head over from 11am to 6pm any day of the week but Monday when they are closed.

The Hirshhorn Museum is one of the most visited modern art museums in the country and admission is always free when the doors are open from 10am to 5:30pm. They have over 12,000 pieces in their collection including works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, Henry Moore, and Jackson Pollock plus you will find a great sculpture garden outside the museum with over thirty works on display year-round.

The Arthur M Sackler Gallery in Washington DC is a center of extraordinary Asian art with about 40,000 artifacts ranging from Near East China, Japan, Korea, South and South East Asia, and the Islamic world that extends from the Neolithic period to the present day. They offer a wide range of free programs including performances, lectures, seminars, movies, and celebrations and are open from 10am to 5:30pm Saturday through Wednesday and from 11:30am to 7pm on Thursday and Friday.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is the world’s only major museum solely dedicated to promoting women through the arts and over 5,000 pieces have been added to the museum’s collection. Works by Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, and Élisabeth Louise Vigée-Le Brun are among the highlights of the collection plus they offer signature events for guests of all ages like artist talks, monthly talk shows, and curative group conversations. Their hours are 10am to 5pm throughout the week but they don’t open until noon on Sunday.

The Kreeger Museum is set on five acres of sculpture-filled gardens and terraces with a stunning collection that consists primarily of works from the 1850’s to the present. The Impressionists are represented with nine Claude Monet paintings as well as works by Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Camille Pissarro. They also have weekly live music and a variety of activities but don’t go on Sunday or Monday because the doors will be closed.

Arlington Arts Center hosts approximately 12 exhibitions every year which you can check out from noon to 5pm Wednesday through Sunday. Art classes are also available for adults, teenagers, and children plus they rent out art studios.

Local art studios are also available for rent at Gallery Underground which is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays.

The Pakan Penn Fine Art Gallery in Arlington sells works if you are interested in buying.

Torpedo Factory Art Center houses the nation’s largest collection of open studios for working artists under one roof and has classes for people of all ages. Additionally they provide a variety of programming including artist talks, hands-on art projects, live music, performance pieces, and other activities from 10am to 6pm daily.

Del Ray Artisans Gallery is another place to find lessons for people of all ages as well as children’s art camps and summer creative programs that include workshops, demos, and talks.

Materials & Supplies Near You

The best stores to buy art supplies and materials in your area are:

Inspire Supplier carries high-quality and difficult-to-find materials and they feature different products every month for a specific type of maker or artist plus they are also known for custom hot foil stamping services.

Artistic Artifacts sells new and vintage supplies for fiber and mixed media artists while also providing art lessons and workshops near you.

Shows & Events

There are some great local art shows, festivals, and events here like:

The Smithsonian Craft Show is held at the National Building Museum every April where over 120 major contemporary artists and remarkable inventors are featured. Whether you’re an art collector or just curious you’ll find artworks at all price points here.

The Washington Arts Festival is held at Washington Park each August and you can expect to find live music, children’s activities, live artist demonstrations, caricatures, cuisine, wine and beer tasting, and more.

The Sunday Concerts series at The Phillips Collection is one of Washington DC’s longest-running music series. Concerts are held on Sundays from September through May in the oak-paneled Music Room which is located within the original Phillips house.

The Alexandria Festival of the Arts is held in Old Town Alexandria and this outdoor art event spans six blocks of King Street featuring sculptures, paintings, photography, glass, jewelry, and other works. It is free to attend and takes place every September for two days.

Also in September the Arlington Labor Day Weekend Festival of the Arts is held on North Highland Street beginning at the corner of North Highland and Washington Boulevard. You will have the opportunity to discover original handmade-in-the-USA pieces of art in every medium.

The Downtown Holiday Market takes place on the F Street sidewalk in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery once a year from late November to mid-December. Fine art, crafts, jewelry, ceramics, photography, clothes, prepared food, and other items will be featured during the event.

Art Dealers & Appraisers

You can buy new works or find out how much a piece is worth at these art dealers and appraisers near you:

Calloway Fine Art & Consulting specializes in contemporary art from the local, regional, and international scene. Furthermore the gallery offers comprehensive consulting services including on-site visits to both residential and commercial clientele as well as framing services.

International Visions Gallery & Consulting provides a variety of things including collection management, curatorial services, public art commissions, and can assist with the sale of collections.

Zenith Gallery is a great place to find full-service art consulting for corporate and residential clients to ensure that your acquisition, placement, and management requirements are met successfully. They also assist clients with appraisals, insurance, and documentation.

De Andino Fine Arts provides advice on the formation and distribution of individual pieces of art as well as entire collections. They also offer appraisal services, purchasing and selling services through public auctions and private venues, as well as consulting services for museum donations and loans. Full installation service, assistance with conservation, and restoration of works of art are also available.

The Pakan Penn Fine Art Gallery is another place that sells art near you.

Walking Tours

This city is known for great walking tours:

Street Art Museum Tours provides group art exhibit experiences, private walking tours, private museum tours, and other cultural adventures featuring many possibilities to visit historical sites including the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art.

Art Smart is a leading provider of private gallery tours and guided museum tours including the National Gallery of Art.

Join the Rosslyn Public Art Walking Tour in Arlington County to learn about the famous public art collection of Rosslyn. During the 90-minute tours the participants will discover Rosslyn’s public works’ history, design, and function as well as an extensive network of stunning and secret public areas.

Liquid pixels, the Meridien’s overview, the Cupid’s Garden, Anna and David, the Bennett Park Art Atrium, and the Dark Star Park are some of the highlights while all tours meet at Central Place Plaza.

Sculptures & Statues

Framing art supply stores Washington DC lessons near you studios

You will surely notice many of these sculptures and statues around town:

  • Lincoln Memorial at The National Mall
  • John Paul Jones Memorial at 17th St SW
  • Statue of Albert Einstein at 2101 Constitution Ave NW
  • National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden at Constitution Ave NW & 7th St NW
  • General Andrew Jackson Statue at 16th St Nw
  • Daguerre Memorial at 600 7th St NW
  • Anna & David Sculpture at 1525 Wilson Blvd, Arlington
  • Cupid’s Garden Sculpture at Wilson Blvd, Arlington
  • Edmonson Sisters Sculpture at 1701 Duke St, Alexandria

To be honest there are far too many incredible statues and sculptures in your area for us to even come close to covering them all in this guide but we will still try our best.

The Lincoln Memorial at The National Mall is one of the most iconic statues in the country if not the world.

The John Paul Jones Memorial is located at West Potomac Park near the National Mall and Charles H Niehaus sculpted the monument which was dedicated on April 17, 1912.

Robert Berks sculpted the Albert Einstein statue in 1978 which was unveiled at the Academy’s annual meeting on April 22, 1979 in an elm and holly grove in the southwest corner of the National Academy of Sciences grounds.

The Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC is situated on the National Mall between the West Building of the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian. As you go across this 6 acre area you will come across 21 modern and contemporary sculptures.

The Daguerre Memorial was sculpted by American sculptor Jonathon Scott Harley and the monument was rededicated in 1989 after being relocated to its current place outside the National Portrait Gallery.

Miriam Schapiro sculpted the Anna and David Sculpture which was placed in 1987 and currently beautifies the entrance of this Rosslyn office building.

You also don’t want to forget that there is a great sculpture garden near you at The Hirshhorn Museum either.

Washington DC Art Classes

Sometimes a lesson or two can take your game to the next level and some of the best Washington DC art schools and classes can be found at:

Corcoran School of the Arts & Design is the professional art school of George Washington University offering 22 degrees ranging from studio disciplines such as photography and fine art to performative professions such as dance and drama to scholarly activities like museum studies and art history.

Washington Studio School offers art classes, workshops, and free public programs for people of all ages and ability levels. Summer high-school teen intensive programs and weekly drop-in classes are also available.

Art classes for all ages and skill levels can be taken at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop who also offers private lessons, art camps, and night classes every Friday.

There are art lessons and camps for children ages 2 to 8 as well as a limited number of adult classes available at Anna Banana Arts and Crafts.

Blue Giraffe Art Studio provides lessons for children aged 3 and up while also having evening programs and a short-day camp for no-school days.

The Art League School is a non-accredited open-to-all institution that educates about 7,000 students annually. Courses are offered quarterly for children of all ability levels aged five and up in practically all of the fine arts and a wide range of crafts taught by some of the country’s most accomplished and well-known artists and instructors.

Alexandria Clay Co-Op offers pottery classes for students 15 and older or kids aged 12 and up if accompanied by a parent.

Arlington Arts Center, Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Del Ray Artisans Gallery from our initial best galleries in your area list also has classes as does Artistic Artifacts from the local supply stores list.

Studios For Rent Near You

Take your next project more seriously by renting art studio space at:

Arlington Arts Center, Gallery Underground, and Torpedo Factory Art Center also have art studio space for rent in your area.

Framing

Some of the best places for art framing in Washington DC are:

Picasso Gallery Custom Framing is happy to give a free in-home framing consultation. They stock thousands of moulding samples ranging from modern to classic, simple to distressed, and avant-garde.

Picture Frame Factory also provides free consultations and specializes in shadowboxing, canvas stretching, and oversize mounting.

There are over 5,000 mouldings to choose from along with in-home consultations, installation, print, and painting restorations available at Allen Custom Frame.

Italo Frame provides free consulting and estimates on all projects while also offering one-day and rush services.

TR Framing has over 4,000 frame samples and carries Larson-Juhl and Roma mouldings plus they can do photo restorations.

Calloway Fine Art & Consulting from art dealer list also does framing. You might also want to read our posts on:

Have Fun Enjoying The Washington DC Art Scene

Well guys, we tried to cover the full art scene near you to the best of our abilities. We listed the best local galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers in your area.

Anyone that is still reading probably loves art as much as we do. You can let us know about any of your own tips and tricks in the comments at the end of the post, or please also let us know if we got anything wrong or if anything we posted is now out of date.

Have fun going to the galleries, museums, buying supplies or doing anything that has to do with art in Washington DC!

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This post and all of the posts on our site are edited by Dan Soloman who has been a huge fan of art since he was a little kid. His mother was a good local artist, and she taught him the trade from a very early age. He studied art and its history in both high school and college, has worked at multiple galleries, and recently has begun creating and editing online content for this site and some other online media platforms.

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