Experience the country's first museum of modern art in a historic Dupont Circle setting
Learn more about The Phillips Collection, how to visit and why it’s considered one of the coolest museums in Washington, DC.
What is The Phillips Collection? When did it open?
The first museum of modern art in the U.S. opened in 1921 as a specially designed room in the house of Duncan Phillips, whose family had called Dupont Circle home since 1895. By 1930, the family collection had grown so large, The Phillips Collection had to move to a separate home, dedicating the original house entirely to displaying works of art.
The Phillips Collection contains works from luminaries such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent van Gogh and is always refreshing its collections with special exhibitions and additions. The must-see, most well-known piece at the museum is Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, a vital piece of Impressionist art that depicts the cultural shift of France in the late 19th century. The museum also contains The Rothko Room, which features four of the iconic abstract expressionist Mark Rothko’s signature works in a unique standalone setting.
Is The Phillips Collection free to visit? How do I get there?
The museum does charge admission but offers numerous free and discounted admission opportunities (see section below for more details). Advance reservations are highly recommended ahead of your visit. Here’s the standard admission structure for The Phillips Collection:
- Adults ages 19-61: $20
- Seniors ages 62 and over: $15
- Military (active duty and retired): $12
- Students and educators (with ID): $10
- Ages 18 and under: Free
The museum is located 1600 21st Street NW, at 21st and Q Streets NW. The main entrance is located along 21st Street. We advise using public transportation, but if you drive, you can book parking in advance via SpotHero.
If you use Metrorail, take the Red Line to Dupont Circle and take the Q Street exit. Go left (west) one block on Q Street to 21st Street. Metrobus lines D90, D70, D72, D74, C91, D94 and D96 provide access to the museum.
The Phillips Collection is open from Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day of its Annual Gala.
Can I see work by Impressionists there?
Yes. In addition to Renoir’s famous Luncheon of the Boating Party and works by Vincent van Gogh, The Phillips Collection is also home to pieces by other famous Impressionists including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Pierre Bonnard, George Seurat and Paul Signac. Across its collection of more than 6,000 paintings (and counting), the museum also showcases Jacob Lawrence’s famous Migration Series and The Wax Room, among numerous other highlights.
Is the museum free on Third Thursdays?
From 4-8 p.m. every third Thursday of the month, The Phillips Collection offers free admission. The 8 p.m. closing time marks a three-hour extension from the normal closure.
Here are some more discounted/free admission opportunities:
- Visitors under the age of 18 can always enter The Phillips Collection for free.
- Entrance to the museum’s Vradenburg Shop, Bread Furst Café (more on it below), Hunter Courtyard and galleries on the first and lower levels are free to enter.
- The Phillips Collection offers Pay-What-You-Wish from 4 p.m. to closing time each day but note that reservations are recommended.
- Bank of America cardholders can enter the museum for free on the first full weekend of each month with no advance reservation required. One free entry is granted per card presented.
Is there a café at the museum?
Yes, and we highly recommend checking it out. Owner of Bread Furst Café, Mark Furstenberg, has DC business roots that date back to 1990 with the opening of Marvelous Market, the first DC bakery to offer traditional European breads. Prior to that, he wrote for The Washington Post and helped his sister open Politics and Prose.
It’s no wonder that Furstenberg’s latest venture is a DC gem, housed inside The Phillips Collection and stocked with the freshest products from local farmers only. In addition to sandwiches, soups, snacks, salads, lunch items and desserts, the cafe offers pastries, fresh loaves of bread, small groceries, grab-and-go refrigerated items and delicious coffee drinks.
Bread Furst is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Tuesday through Sunday and remains
open until 8 p.m. on Third Thursdays.
What is The Phillips Collection’s membership program?
The museum offers six tiers of membership in total. Membership at any level includes unlimited free admission to The Phillips Collection as well as the following perks:
- Members-only visiting hour every Sunday from 10-11 a.m.
- Members-only exhibition previews
- Free admission to Phillips after 5, the museum’s monthly after-hours party
- Curator-led presentations and Sunday morning tours
- 10% discount in the museum shop and café
Next, complete your arts and culture trip with our three-day itinerary.
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