Arts & Culture

Get acquainted with the thriving arts and culture scene in Washington, DC.

Morning Start your day with breakfast at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel , where Martin Luther King, Jr. completed his "I Have a Dream" speech. It’s a short walk from the Willard to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial , the newest landmark on the National Mall . Once you're down there, visi...

Visiting the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

What is the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and where is it? The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden displays some of the most unique artworks in modern and contemporary art, including painting, sculpture and photography. Located at the corner of 7th Street and Independence...

The Need-to-Know Guide to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The History President John F. Kennedy famously loved and promoted the arts, inviting authors and musicians to the White House and laying the groundwork for the the National Endowment for the Arts. The Kennedy Center , the performing arts powerhouse and living memorial in Foggy Bottom that bears his...

Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW on the National Mall . The four-level museum opened on Sept. 24, 2016, becoming the only national museum solely dedicated to the documentation of African American life,...

The Kennedy Center’s Robert van Leer on Foggy Bottom

Robert van Leer, the Kennedy Center ’s Senior Vice President of Artistic Planning, helps decide which plays, operas, dance troupes and jazz combos play at the performing arts center on the banks of the Potomac River. He’s only been in town since 2015, but since van Leer lives next door in...

13 Holiday-Themed Theater Performances & Shows in Washington, DC

As the winter holidays near, Christmas music blares from stereos, holiday displays and lights illuminate the District and, most importantly, you need ways to let your seasonal spirit flourish. The nation’s capital has plenty of options, so get that ugly sweater ready for a month’s worth of revelry...

7 Ways to Fit in Like a Local

You don’t have to hire fake Secret Service agents to look like you belong in DC, even if your flight just landed yesterday. As sure as the Parisians tie their scarves just so, Washingtonians have certain habits, ways of speaking and quirks, and if you know a few of them in advance, you’ll feel...

50+ Things to Do This May in Washington, DC

Events Passport DC – May 1-31 Have you ever wanted to step foot inside an embassy? During this month-long journey through DC’s international pathways, you get two incredible chances to do just that with the Around the World Embassy Tour on May 5 and the European Union Embassies' Open House on May...

Free Things to Do: Arts & Culture in Washington, DC

Washington, DC has so many free things to do for those who love to admire creativity, from art museums to cultural events and so much more. Explore the free activities and locations below and you will be amazed at the incredible arts and culture scene in the nation’s capital.

Visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum & Renwick Gallery

Wander through three centuries of American art The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC is one of the largest and most expansive collections of American art in the world. The museum’s two locations, the main building in Penn Quarter and the Renwick Gallery in Downtown , represent...