Art in Embassies
Our end-of-the-week picks for Sept. 11-13, 2026
We've gathered up some fun things to do in DC this weekend. You can also read what else is going on during the week and throughout the month.
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Friday
Passport to Patriotism
The Art Museum of the Americas hosts a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition thanks to Art in Embassies. Passport to Patriotism showcases the work of more than 30 American artists. The pieces reflect how the American story transcends boundaries and politics and how the country’s ideals and values have been formed. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Free Admission
Art Museum of the Americas, 201 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Venus
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s new Artistic Director Reggie D. White is at the helm for this darkly comic play written by Steve Yockey. Nicole and Beth are opposites that attract until a midnight date under the stars pushes their romance to the brink, with a woman in a red raincoat emerging as their antagonist.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
The Howard Theatre
Aldous Harding
Howard Theatre welcomes one of the most acclaimed and eccentric singer-songwriters in indie rock. New Zealand native Aldous Harding possesses an entirely unique voice, a catalogue of inimitable songs and lyrics that have seen her deemed one of the great songwriters working today.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Howard Theatre, 620 T Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Art All Night
An all-night arts festival? Sign us up. Yes, DC has that with Art All Night, which spreads out across several neighborhoods. Art experiences don’t get much more lavish or expansive than this: Everything from painting to performing arts to music to sculpture will be showcased in both public and private spaces, indoors and outdoors. Be sure to check out the companion event Dine All Night, too.
Saturday
DC Bike Ride
If you’re looking for fun activities in the District this fall, you’ve found a gem with DC Bike Ride. With a family-friendly course, the event is one of the biggest celebrations of cycling in DC and offers a unique experience to its participants, winding riders through city streets and by monuments and memorials. The 20-mile excursion welcomes riders over the age of three and includes a Finish Festival with food, music and fun activities.
The Phillips Collection
Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise
The Phillips Collection maintains its commitment to DMV artists with this juried exhibition that will showcase 48 local creatives. The intergenerational group of artists was culled from 1,500 applications. Their pieces reflect a wrestling with the contemporary world as well as themes of beauty, resilience and persistence.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Signature Theatre
Merrily We Roll Along
Stephen Sondheim and George Furth collaborated on this beloved play that turns the traditional musical on its ear. Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va. stages the duo’s brilliant rumination on friendship, compromise and the cost of success. The audience follows a trio of close friends across 20 years, tracing the narrative backwards in time from their lowest moment to their highest, with the journey marked by incredible songs and routines.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Ford's Theatre
Come From Away
The Tony Award-winning masterpiece returns to Ford’s Theatre a decade after its debut at the historic venue. Come From Away concerns a small Canadian town that welcomed 6,579 airline passengers with open arms after their plane was stranded there on Sept. 11, 2001. The story of friendship and the bonds of community will warm your heart this fall.
Tickets
Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Photo by Manuel Harlan, Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Score
Brian Cox, the iconic actor of stage and screen, visits Harman Hall in this production’s only American engagement. Acclaimed director Trevor Nunn is at the helm for this tale of Johann Sebastian Bach (Cox) and his visit to the court of the devious Frederick II, where he’s presented with a stirring challenge to his morality.
Tickets
Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sunday
Adams Morgan Day
The longest-running neighborhood festival in the District has been around for more than 40 years. The lively 18th Street buzzes with music, food vendors, for-sale artwork and family-friendly activities. Celebrate one of DC’s liveliest, most diverse neighborhoods with this day-long extravaganza that is led by volunteers and showcases the businesses, artists and organizations that make up "AdMo."
Historic Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Unleashed: Pets Guided Tour
Celebrate National Pet Memorial Day with a four-legged-friendly tour of Historic Congressional Cemetery. This tour highlights notable residents with a love for animals while sharing the story of the cemetery's K9 Corps and its role in preserving the historic grounds. K9 Corps members can bring their furry companions along, while other visitors can purchase a day pass in addition to a $10 tour ticket. Proceeds support the cemetery's preservation and education efforts.
1 p.m. | Tickets
1801 E St SE, Washington, DC 20003
©Jasper Johns and ULAE, National Gallery of Art
American Icon: The US Flag in Art
The exhibition spotlights more than 30 works from the late-1800s to today, each illustrating the changing uses and interpretations of the American flag. Paintings, prints and photographs from seminal artists such as Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, Jasper Johns and Faith Ringgold examine the ever-evolving symbolism of the Stars and Stripes.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20565
Arena Stage
The Fruits of Our Labor
Legendary DC dance company Step Afrika! honors America’s 250th anniversary with a new show set to premiere at Arena Stage. The Fruits of Our Labor uses percussion, stepping, moving visual imagery and a bold red, white and blue color palette to explore the American experience.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all.
Find Your Stay
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to award-winning hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
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