Check out women-powered events, exhibits, shows and much more.
In Washington, DC, we celebrate the contributions of women all year long, including food and drink spots and women-inspired museums, exhibits and attractions. In honor of March's designation as Women's History Month, we’ve gathered up a list of events, exhibits, plays and other programming that highlight the accomplishments, art and stories of women.
Find more content celebrating inspiring women in DC, including women-owned businesses and ways to honor influential Black women.
Check out the National Museum of Women in the Arts
The only museum solely dedicated to championing women through the arts reopened its doors in 2023 with improved interior and exterior spaces, enhanced amenities and accessibility measures, enlarged gallery space and additional research and education space.
More Information
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Her Brush, Her Story: A Special Art Tour at the National Gallery
Can you name ten women artists? If not, you're not alone – but this tour will change that. Women have long played a vital role in the creation, patronage and preservation of art, yet their contributions have often been overlooked. This 2-hour tour provides a new lens for enjoying the National Gallery of Art, uncovering the fascinating stories of women artists, the evolving portrayal of women in art and the trailblazers who fought to ensure their place in museum collections. Use code DDCxAWT10 for 10% off your next tour.
Tours are available on select dates for groups of 10 or fewer.
Contact Art with Tosca
Forces for Change: Mary McLeod Bethune and Black Women’s Activism – Ongoing
Explore the powerful societal impact of local hero, educator and reformer Mary McLeod Bethune at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The exhibit space focuses on Bethune’s incredible work with the National Council of Negro Women as well as the contributions of other women who have fought for social change. In total, the display includes 75 images, 35 artifacts, a multimedia film, an eight-foot-tall plaster sculpture of Bethune and an interactive engagement.
More info | Free Admission
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Arena Stage
The Bedwetter: The Musical – Feb. 4 – March 16
You'll likely recognize comedian Sarah Silverman's signature wit from her stint on SNL or Comedy Central, her voice acting on Bob's Burgers, one of her many stand up specials or even her bestselling comedic memoir The Bedwetter. In 2022, the latter was adapted for the stage by a Tony-nominated director (Anna Kauffman) and a Grammy- and Emmy-winning composer (Adam Schlesinger) – and now, you're in luck: lively "stories of courage, redemption and pee" take over Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater for a limited time this spring.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
We Gather at the Edge: Contemporary Quilts by Black Women Artists – Feb. 21 – June 22
Two years ago, the Smithsonian American Art Museum acquired 35 quilts from Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, who holds a doctorate in aerospace engineering and is also a prolific artist, curator and scholar. The scope of the quilts featured is remarkable and groundbreaking in its representation of Black history and culture.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
The Age of Innocence – Feb. 28 – March 30
Adapted from the beloved Edith Wharton novel by playwright Karen Zacarías, this new play at Arena Stage will captivate audiences with its stirring depiction of 1870s New York City. The Age of Innocence is timeless in its powerful critique of the harshness of societal norms as it masterfully depicts Newland Archer’s struggles as he must choose between privilege and passion.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Uncanny – Feb. 28 – Aug. 10
The National Museum of Women in the Arts invites visitors to an exploration of unease across a range of surreal media. The only museum solely dedicated to championing women artists treads into new territory with Uncanny, which reveals women’s authorship of surreal narratives, revealing how the concept is used by these artists to regain agency and dissect feelings of revulsion, fear and discomfort.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Smithsonian Institution
Making a Statement – Feb. 28 – March 2026
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian displays two gowns worn by Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone (Siksikaitsitapi [Blackfeet]/Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]) in a special installation. Four public programs are planned for Women's History Month as well. Both gowns were designed by Gucci and Indigenous artist Joe Big Mountain (Mohawk/Cree/Comanche) of Ironhorse Quillwork and were worn by Gladstone the evening of March 10, 2024, to the 96th Academy Awards and the Vanity Fair Oscars party. Gladstone was the first Native American nominated for best actress for her work in the film Killers of the Flower Moon.
10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street & Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Sister Act at Ford's Theatre – Opens March 14
Based on the smash hit 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act makes for divine musical comedy at Ford’s Theatre this upcoming spring. The Tony-nominated musical follows a nightclub singer who takes to a convent to hide from the mob. Self-discovery and glorious group harmonies ensue. The play features original music by the legendary Alan Menken.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Samantha Box: Confluences – Through March 23
The National Museum of Women in the Arts presents stunning documentary and studio-based photographs from Bronx-based artist Samantha Box in her first solo exhibition in the nation’s capital. Box’s two major bodies of work are seen together for the first time, revealing complex conversations around nationality, race, class, gender and sexual orientation.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Mary J. Blige – March 26
Calling all 90s lovers (and who isn’t): make your way to Capital One Arena on March 26 for the Queen of Hip Hop Soul herself. Mary J. Blige will have the place percolating as she brings her For My Fans tour to the nation’s capital in support of her latest album, Gratitude. With special guests NE-YO and Mario, this is sure to be a show full of “real love.”
Tickets
601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sublime Light: Tapestry Art of DY Begay – Through Summer 2025
In honor of one of the great fiber artists, the National Museum of the American Indian showcases 48 works by DY Begay. Across these dozens of tapestries, Begay explores her homeland and heritage through a divine sense of color, stirring innovation and sharp eye for design. Her pieces effectively illustrate a non-Western way of being to contemporary audiences.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street & Independence Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi and Miné Okubo – Through Aug. 17
The Smithsonian American Art Museum honors three of the most important female American artists of Japanese descent in the years leading up to World War II. Across eight decades, the careers of Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi and Miné Okubo helped shape modern American art. This exhibit examines the three trailblazers like never before, tracing their artistic evolution before, during and after the internment and displacement of Japanese Americans during World War II.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
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