Special Topic Tuesday: Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s main location is in the Donald W. Reynolds Center, which also houses the National Portrait Gallery. The Renwick Gallery across from the White House is also part of this museum. The main museum, which is what I am focusing on today, is located at 8th Street and F Street NW. Hours are 11:30am to 7pm daily and it is only closed on Christmas Day. The nearest Metro stop is Gallery Place Chinatown served by the Red, Yellow, and Green Lines. The Metro Center stop is only a few blocks away for those using the Blue and Orange lines.
The American Art Museum obviously contains American Art with most of it being created by Americans, but it also encompasses art that just generally represents the American experience. One of the more interesting permanent exhibits is the Folk Art gallery located on the First Floor of the museum. This exhibit contains all kinds of objects that are works of art that are more of the everyday kinds of things than the stuff that you normally see in a museum. Think stuff you would maybe find at a local craft fair.
The second floor winds you through American Art from colonial times up until 1940 (or the other way around if you end up going through it backwards). Period sections include The American Colonies, Antebellum Art, and the Civil War. On this floor there is also the most interesting piece of art here. It is a model of the museum called MVSEVM.
The third floor presents Art Since 1940 and Contemporary Art. This is also were most of the temporary exhibit space is located. The current special exhibits on display are The Honor of Your Company Is Requested: President Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball, Color as Field: American Painting, 1950–1975, Obata’s Yosemite, and Celebrating the Lucelia Artist Award, 2001–2006.
Leave a Reply