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.
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