Smithsonian American Art Museum
Photo: Own work — CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Smithsonian American Art Museum, located in Washington, D.C., holds an extensive collection of American art from the colonial period to the present, featuring works by over 7,000 artists.
Planning your visit
The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds the largest collection of American art in the world, covering the colonial period to the present with work by over 7,000 artists, and admission is free.
Its New Deal holdings are the most distinctive: the federal art programmes of the 1930s employed thousands of artists, and the museum holds a substantial body of the resulting work, documenting the Depression in a way no other collection matches.
James Hampton's Throne of the Third Heaven, an enormous assemblage built in a garage from foil, furniture and light bulbs by a janitor over fourteen years, is the outstanding piece of American visionary art.
The building, an 1830s former Patent Office, is one of the finest Greek Revival structures in the country, with the Kogod Courtyard under an undulating glass canopy.
The National Portrait Gallery shares the building. Allow two hours. Bookable options include private tours. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Smithsonian American Art Museum?
Smithsonian American Art Museum is in Washington, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Smithsonian American Art Museum?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Smithsonian American Art Museum in advance?
Private tours are arranged for a set date and time, so they need booking in advance.
