The following special exhibitions are on view at area museums. For a complete list of all permanent, indefinite and long-term exhibitions, please consult individual museum websites. Museums marked with an * are free. Note: The National Geographic Museum and the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building are temporarily closed for renovations.
CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM “Blacklisted: An American Story,” through Sept. 7. On loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, this exhibition explores the Red Scare and the Hollywood blacklist through film, personal narratives, artifacts, costumes and photography.
The museum features two ongoing exhibitions about Jewish history, from 1790 to today, and how to build a better future in the National Capital Region: “What Is Jewish Washington?” and “Connect. Reflect. Act.” 575 Third St. NW. capitaljewishmuseum.org
*FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY “Contemporary Art at the Folger,” through April. Small solo exhibitions feature the work of four recent artist fellows at the Folger Institute.
“Shakespeare and the American Story,” through Aug. 2. Items from the Folger collection explore how the British playwright became so integral to American culture.
“Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era,” through Aug. 2. Seen on view together for the first time since London’s Boydell Shakespeare Gallery closed in 1805, 14 paintings depict pivotal scenes from William Shakespeare’s plays while also speaking to how the playwright was refashioned into a cultural icon. 201 East Capitol St. SE. folger.edu
*GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AND TEXTILE MUSEUM “Adorning the Horse: Equestrian Textiles for Power and Prestige,” through June 20. A display of 60 textiles encapsulates centuries of global history through the lens of equine culture. 701 21st St. NW. museum.gwu.edu
HILLWOOD ESTATE, MUSEUM AND GARDEN “On Time: Giving Form to the Fleeting,” through June 14. This chronologically organized exhibition highlights the most extravagant watches and clocks from the Hillwood collection. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. hillwoodmuseum.org
*HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN “Basquiat × Banksy,” through Sept. 7. The exhibition highlighting two paintings, one by Jean-Michel Basquiat and one by Banksy, marks the first time either artist’s work has been presented at the museum.
“Revolutions: Art From the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860-1960,” through Nov. 29. This collection presents 208 artworks made during a period defined by evolutions in science, philosophy and mechanization.
“Adam Pendleton: Love, Queen,” through Jan. 3. A collection of the American conceptual artist’s work features his paintings and a new video installation.
“Big Things for Big Rooms,” through July 4, 2027. This two-part exhibition explores the development of immersive, large-scale artworks since the late 1960s. Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. hirshhorn.si.edu
*LIBRARY OF CONGRESS “The Two Georges: Parallel Lives in an Age of Revolution,” through July 4. Papers from the Library of Congress and the Royal Archives explore the lives of George Washington and King George III in their own words. Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. loc.gov
MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE “Dead Sea Scrolls,” through Sept. 7. An exhibition featuring biblical texts and scrolls from the community at Qumran in the West Bank, plus artifacts that exemplify life and Judaism during the Second Temple period. 400 Fourth St. SW. museumofthebible.org
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART ARLINGTON Four exhibition are on view through May 24: “Stephanie Lane: Meta Physika,” “Pau S. Pescador: Working,” “James Stephen Terrell: Take Me to the Water” and “Within Reach: Artists & the Built Environment.” 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. mocaarlington.org
*NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM Five new galleries are ongoing amid the museum’s renovations: “Aerospace and Our Changing Environment,” “Futures in Space,” “Boeing Milestones of Flight,” “Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight” and “World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation.” Sixth Street and Independence Avenue SW. airandspace.si.edu
*NATIONAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM “Road to Revolution,” through April 30. This rotating exhibition series highlights records related to the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence.
“The American Story,” ongoing. A redesign of the museum’s permanent exhibits highlights an 1823 stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, George Washington’s annotated copy of the Constitution and more. 701 Constitution Ave. NW. museum.archives.gov
NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM “Brick City,” through August. U.K.-based artist Warren Elsmore uses Lego pieces to re-create destinations from all seven continents, including New Orleans during Mardi Gras and medieval Japanese castles.
“The Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph X Fry & Welch,” ongoing. Sketches, models, full-scale brick replicas and a robotically built sculpture highlight the material and design innovation of a Tuskegee University landmark.
“A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4978 Schools That Changed America,” ongoing. This exhibition features the narratives and photographs of Andrew Feiler, who tells the story of how thousands of schoolhouses were built across the segregated South.
“Coming Together: Reimagining America’s Downtowns,” ongoing. A multimedia exploration of how lessons learned during the pandemic are shaping the future of American city centers.
“Mini Memories: Souvenir Buildings From the David Weingarten Collection,” ongoing. A showcase of 400 miniature building souvenirs from nearly 70 countries.
“House & Home,” ongoing. A collection of photographs, models, films and objects that examine American homes both familiar and unconventional.
“Building Stories,” ongoing. This immersive exhibition dives into the world of architecture, engineering, construction and design as depicted in children’s books. 401 F St. NW. nbm.org
*NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART “In the Library: Mary Cassatt’s American Legacy,” through May 15. A display of archival photographs and other items that unpack the American ties of an artist who spent much of her life in France.
“In the Tower: Chakaia Booker,” through Aug. 2. This exhibition features three wall relief sculptures from Booker, who is renowned for turning discarded tires into abstract art.
“Mary Cassatt: An American in Paris,” through Aug. 30. Forty paintings, drawings and prints marking the centennial of the painter’s death.
“Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience,” through Sept. 20. Featuring 100-plus works on paper, this installation highlights how artists have depicted the people, landscapes and ideas that define life in the United States.
“Back and Forth: Rozeal., Titian, Cezanne,” through Jan. 3. The striking similarities between Titian’s 16th-century works and paintings by Rozeal. and Paul Cézanne are highlighted.
“Celebrating American Art,” ongoing. The reimagined American art galleries feature new texts, digital tools and activities. Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. nga.gov.
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE “At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs,” through July 19. More than 100 objects from five historically Black colleges and universities encapsulate those institutions’ academics, arts and campus activities.
“Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.,” ongoing. The exhibition focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement and art that depicts resistance and protest. 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. nmaahc.si.edu
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,” through Aug. 23. Featuring nearly 60 artworks, this exhibition highlights the contributions of LGBTQ+ artists from Africa and its diaspora.
“Benin Bronzes: Ambassadors of the Oba,” ongoing. Nine bronze artifacts taken by the British during the Benin Punitive Expedition of 1897 are on display as part of a long-term loan from the National Commission for Museum and Monuments in Nigeria.
“Sanctuary: Mekdes,” ongoing. Through seven sculptures, Ethiopian American artist Tsedaye Makonnen confronts the dehumanization of Black women, femme people and their communities.
“Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa’s Arts,” ongoing. An installation organized around seven viewpoints designed to shape the manner in which African art is experienced.
“Currents: Water in African Art,” ongoing. Artworks from the museum’s permanent collection underscore water’s role as a potent cultural force. 950 Independence Ave. SW. africa.si.edu
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa,” ongoing starting Saturday. Featuring nearly 300 objects, this bilingual exhibition traces salsa’s path to becoming a defining sound in American music.
“Corazón y Vida: Lowrider Culture,” ongoing. This exhibition about lowriders — custom cars with elaborate paint jobs and hydraulics for bouncing — includes photography, tools of the trade and two classic Chevy Impalas. Constitution Avenue NW, between 12th and 14th streets. americanhistory.si.edu
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN “Making a Statement,” through April 26. An installation of two gowns worn by Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone.
“Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe,” through Jan. 1. This retrospective of the Ho-Chunk artist features minimalist sculptures made of willow branches, feathers and other organic materials.
“InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives,” ongoing. These photos, selected from more than half a million stewarded by the museum, offer intimate insight into Indigenous lives. Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW. americanindian.si.edu
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART “Reasons to Gather: Japanese Tea Practice Unwrapped,” through April 26. A display of 11 historic tea utensils and accessories.
“Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings From India’s Himalayan Kingdoms,” Saturday through July 26. This exhibition highlights paintings made for Hindu kings in India’s Pahari region between the 1620s and 1830s.
“Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean,” through Sept. 7. On loan from the National Museum of Cambodia, this six-meter sculpture of the Hindu god Vishnu is said to be the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia.
“Into the Waters With Senju and Bingyi: Two Contemporary Paintings,” through Sept. 27. A display featuring distinct visualizations of water from Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju and Chinese artist Bingyi. 1050 Independence Ave. SW. asia.si.edu
*NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY “Dazzling Diversity,” through May 11. Early natural history books from the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives put scientific knowledge of the insect world on display.
“Cellphone: Unseen Connections,” through June 2028. This exhibition, about the way phones connect us to the natural world, features multimedia installations, a sprawling graphic novel and more than 750 objects. 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. naturalhistory.si.edu
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS “Making Their Mark: Works From the Shah Garg Collection,” through July 26. Featuring around 80 artworks from the past eight decades, the exhibition underscores connections between intergenerational and international artists with a knack for bucking conventions.
“Remix: The Collection,” through Oct. 25. Familiar collection favorites are displayed alongside recent acquisitions.
“Women to Watch 2027: A Book Arts Revolution,” through Aug. 15, 2027. This exhibition explores how contemporary artists’ books can encompass a variety of works. 1250 New York Ave. NW. nmwa.org
*NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY “From Shadow to Substance: Grand-Scale Portraits During Photography’s Formative Years,” through June 14. An exhibition tracking the growth of the grand-scale, whole-plate photography format.
“The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today,” through Aug. 30. This selection highlights 30-plus portraits from more than 3,300 entries to the triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.
“American Winners: Athletes and Entertainers Who Shaped the Nation,” through Sept. 7. More than 50 works from the gallery’s collection highlight Americans at the pinnacle of athletic performance and creative expression.
“Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees,” through Nov. 15. Steven Spielberg, Temple Grandin and Jamie Dimon are among those depicted in this annual exhibition spotlighting those who have made extraordinary contributions to American culture.
“Meserve Collection Highlights: Modern Prints From Mathew Brady’s Portrait Negatives,” through May 14, 2028. Nine prints from 19th-century negatives feature the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ulysses S. Grant and more. Eighth and F streets NW. npg.si.edu
PHILLIPS COLLECTION “Peter Campus: There Somewhere,” through May 3. An exhibition featuring a classic Campus video work from the late 1970s alongside four new landscape videos, titled “The Phillips Quartets.”
“Miró and the United States,” through July 5. This exhibition, which features 75 works from 30-plus artists, explores how Catalan painter and sculptor Joan Miró formed a creative dialogue with his American counterparts. 1600 21st St. NW. phillipscollection.org
*RENWICK GALLERY “State Fairs: Growing American Craft,” through Sept. 7. More than 240 artworks, dating from the mid-19th century to the present, tell the personal stories of craft found on U.S. fairgrounds.
“Justin Favela: Capilla de Maíz (Maize Chapel),” ongoing. A site-specific installation lines the Rubenstein Grand Salon with gold fringe and piñata corncobs to highlight corn’s role in North American visual culture. Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street NW. americanart.si.edu
*RUBELL MUSEUM “Basil Kincaid: Spirit in the Gift,” through fall. A presentation of four large-scale quilted artworks created during Kincaid’s 2023 residency at the Rubell Museum in Miami.
“Material Witness,” through fall. Spanning 23 galleries across the museum’s three floors, this exhibition highlights how 30 contemporary artists use nontraditional materials and processes. 65 I St. SW. rubellmuseum.org/dc
*SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM “Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work,” through July 12. Many of Anna Mary Robertson Moses’s most celebrated works are featured in this exhibition highlighting the 20th-century folk artist, who didn’t begin painting in earnest until her late 70s.
“Shahzia Sikander: The Last Post,” through July 12. A 10-minute video artwork examines the East India Company’s imperialist presence in South Asia and China from the 1600s to the 1800s.
“Artist to Artist,” through Aug. 2. This rotating exhibition highlights eight artist pairings, each of which features two figures whose trajectories intersected at a key moment.
“Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour — Frederick Douglass,” through Aug. 9. A joint purchase by the Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this five-screen video installation uses period reenactments to create a portrait of the activist, writer, orator and philosopher Frederick Douglass.
“Nick Cave: Mammoth,” through Jan. 3. The 67-year-old artist creates an immersive installation featuring the crafted hides and bones of mammoths, a video projection of the extinct animals and a sprawling light table with hundreds of transformed found objects. G and Eighth streets NW. americanart.si.edu
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