National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art is a part of the Smithsonian--so the biggest perk of visiting is that it's free to enter. The museum has a very large collection of art; try as I might, I've never been able to see the entire thing in one day--though it still pales in comparison to the size of some other art museums like the Met in New York or the Louvre in Paris. Their collection is decent--mostly paintings, with some sculptures here and there. If you go, I recommend trying some gelato in the cafeteria--they have a relaxing and cool place to sit next to an underground waterfall. A great way to refresh during those hot DC summers! more

The National Gallery of Art is a must-see for visitors to Washington. It reminds me a lot of the Art Institute of Chicago, only it's always free to the public. The NGA is divided into two buildings, one which has older artwork and another with a traveling exhibit gallery and more modern works. Crowds pack this place in all seasons, but the size of the individual galleries keep backups to a minimum. The two buildings are connected by an underground moving walkway, gelato café, and bookstore. The sandwiches at the café are delicious but very expensive for counter service. more

The National Gallery of Art is my favorite of all museums in Washington, DC. The museum is broken into two main buildings (east and west) and are connected via an underground moving walkway. Also located underground is a delicious gelato café and several gift and book shops. The galleries represent some of the best and finest artwork in the world, but my favorite of these is the two-floor traveling gallery in the modern wing. I've seen them utilize the same space for both the Montmartre and the trompe d'oeil shows; both were captivating, engaging, and very very impressive. Aside from this museum being FREE, another draw is the beautiful fresh floral displays in the courtyards and entryways. This is one museum not to be missed. more

The National Art Gallery is a national treasure. Washington DC is famous for its museums, and one of the most famous and popular is the fantastically designed Gallery. The exhibits are tastefully layed out, but that doesn’t really matter. What matters is the collection, and since this is the USA, a lot of resources and effort went into building it up. You notice. more

I could get lost here. The gallery layout is uninspired; it's made to be open, so you can wander from room to room to room, and it's rather like being in a rectangular beehive. If it were full of filing cabinets I would think of it as great modern art and then leave. There's a nice little courtyard, but it's really not what the gallery was made for. What it is here for is this: there are hundreds of gallons' worth of paint on the canvasses here. (Certainly the paintings aren't the only attraction). You will not be able to spend a single day at the National Gallery. Not a single week, even, if you want to see everything. The art is beautiful and reflects a very broad spectrum of interests - classical to almost-modern. The hours are great, and you can't beat the price. (Just don't destroy anything you arent ready to replace.) more

The Irving Penn photography exhibit at the National Gallery is candy for your aesthetic bone. The exhibit takes place in about four rooms filled with black and white portraits all taken in front of a simple curtain backdrop with few props. Penn uses the spareness of his set to illuminate his subjects, artistic icons like Picasso and Tennessee Williams, Hell Angels from San Francisco in the sixties, and New Guinea warriors in full war paint. The intensity of the images are disarming but seem playful and proud, pulling you in invitingly. His other photographs include cigeratte butts and other trash he assembles in makeshift sculpture. It is all beautiful. You leave in love, even with the trash. more