Things to Do This Week in Washington, DC

Monday

Smithsonian Institution

Revelation: A Journey Into Abstraction 
NMAAHC dives even deeper into abstraction with this installation which explores the profound range and depth of abstract art created by African American artists from the mid‑20th century to the present. The exhibit reintroduces key works from the museum's collection and debuts new acquisitions, offering fresh contexts and perspectives.
Free Admission |  Hours & Information (timed passes required)
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
 

©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
 

Dauphine's

EAT250: America at the Table
Celebrate 250 years of American history through every flavor the DC region has to offer, with collaboration dinners, public talks, tastings, immersive experiences and prix-fixe menus at restaurants across the city.
Citywide

 

Tuesday

Smithsonian Institution

Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America
In the Arts and Industries Building (the Smithsonian’s second-oldest building and the country’s first national museum) right next to the Smithsonian castle, explore what American independence really means, and how that meaning has evolved over time from the American Revolution until now.
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. |  Free Admission
Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building, 900 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, DC 20560

 

Smithsonian Institution

American Aspirations
Co-curated by Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch, American Aspirations brings together some of the Smithsonian’s most treasured objects to commemorate the Declaration of Independence and consider how founding ideals have been interpreted across generations. The special exhibit will be housed inside the majestic Smithsonian Castle, which is temporarily open through Sept. 7. Among the highlights: the desk Thomas Jefferson used while writing the Declaration, Sally Ride's in-space flight suit, a personal hymnal that belonged to Harriet Tubman and a candle stand used by George Washington.
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. |  Free Admission
Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, DC 20560

 

Photo by Joan Marcus

Suffs 
Direct from Broadway comes the acclaimed, Tony Award®-winning musical Suffs about the brilliant, passionate and funny American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season. “Behind every powerful woman… are more powerful women.”
Tickets
National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

 

Wednesday

Events DC

Clipper Race Fleet Week 
Hundreds of amateur sailors have embarked on the race of a lifetime. Now, the 40,000-nautical-mile-race around the world will make its only East Coast stop at The Wharf in Washington, DC. Tour boats, converse with crews, experience live art and celebrate the culture of DC as the city welcomes yachts from across the globe to its vibrant waterfront.
More Information
The Wharf, 101 District Square SW, Washington, DC 20024
 

Signature Theatre Company

What Became of Us 
See the DC premiere of this “soaring, poetic play” about a sister and a brother, the elder born in “The Old Country” and the younger born in “This Country,” striving for connection over the course of a lifetime. Runtime is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
 

Arena Stage

CrazySexyCool: The TLC Musical
Creep your way to one of the coolest venues in DC for a musical based on the fascinating story behind one of the most successful female pop groups ever. CrazySexyCool follows T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli on a riveting (mostly true) journey that includes hit songs such as “Waterfalls,” “Creep” and “No Scrubs”.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
 

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen
Studio Theatre hosts a new one-man show that goes on a stand-up comedian’s journey into and potentially out of love. All the stresses of modern life are touched upon as a painfully neurotic single person tries intimacy and encounters just a bit too much self-sabotage along the way.
Tickets
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
 

Thursday

Smithsonian Institution

From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage
As part of Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250 programming, the National Museum of Natural History displays more than 600 artifacts that represent all 50 U.S. states, DC and an additional five U.S. territories. Items range from significant scientific discoveries to cultural keepsakes to ancient fossils like an American mastodon tooth.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. |  Free Admission
National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
 

Keegan Theatre

The Play That Goes Wrong
This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show – an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award-winning comedy is a global phenomenon that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter. 
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

 

Folger Theatre

How Shakespeare Saved My Life
In this one-man show, written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent, Shakespeare speaks across time, place, age and race to help rescue its protagonist from the “slings and arrows” of his past. Calling on the Bard and a host of genius rappers, half-crazed preachers and soulful poets to throw him a lifeline, Ming-Trent takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language and music. The show runs from June 9 – July 5; approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Tickets
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003

 

Warner Theatre

Daniel Tosh
One of the snarkiest stand-up comedians working today runs it back three straight nights at Warner Theatre. Daniel Tosh has shown time and again that there’s no topic he won’t touch, from his innovative work on the immensely popular Tosh.0 to his always hilariously interesting live sets. Expect some line-crossing and punchlines galore.
7 p.m. |  Tickets
Warner Theatre, 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

 

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