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Smithsonian American Art Museum

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Beyond the Studio Workshop with National Cherry Blossom 2019 Official Artist Simon Bull

Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum F St NW &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC, United States

Hear from professionals who work in the arts, then sharpen your own creative skills with a hands-on activity related to the speaker’s expertise. Please register online at AmericanArt.si.edu/calendar ($10 materials […]

$10

Beyond the Studio with Smithsonian Gardens

Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum F St NW &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC, United States

Hear from professionals who work in the arts, then sharpen your own creative skills with a hands-on activity related to the speaker’s expertise. Please register online at AmericanArt.si.edu/calendar ($10 materials […]

$10

Beyond the Studio Workshop with The Barbershop Project

Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum F St NW &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC, United States

Hear from professionals who work in the arts, then sharpen your own creative skills with a hands-on activity related to the speaker’s expertise. Please register online at AmericanArt.si.edu/calendar ($10 materials […]

$10

Smithsonian American Art Museum Presents Virtual Women Filmmakers Festival

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

A virtual film festival highlighting groundbreaking women filmmakers and issues of climate change, political activism, global pandemics, and more. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is presenting its third annual Women Filmmakers Festival exclusively online. The festival runs from March 1-21, in honor of Women’s History Month, and is supported by the Smithsonian American Women’s History […]

Art Signs Online: Artful Conversations in ASL with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Curious about American art? Join us for a 30-minute virtual conversation about selected works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. This program is presented in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation for participants who are deaf or partially deaf. Zoom link to be provided via email upon registration. Location: Online Tickets: Free | Registration Required […]

Virtual Cherry Blossom Celebration with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Virtual Cherry Blossom Celebration Saturday, March 20, 10 a.m. ET Celebrate the start of spring and the National Cherry Blossom Festival with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Join us for a virtual program full of springtime fun for the whole family. Enjoy a lively performance of traditional Japanese Taiko drumming by the group Nen Daiko. Then learn more […]

¡Printing the Revolution! Virtual Conversation Series: The Legacy of Printmaking with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

¡Printing the Revolution! Virtual Conversation Series: The Legacy of Printmaking Thursday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. ET Chicanx artists and print centers have welcomed, nurtured, and collaborated with non Chicanx artists from the early civil rights era to today, creating a long legacy of influence and support across communities. Join us for a virtual conversation that explores […]

Podcast Release: Luce Listening Party with Lightmare with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Podcast Release: Luce Listening Party with Lightmare FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 Luce Unplugged has gone digital! Tune in for a podcast episode featuring the soulpunk arrangements of Lightmare in conversation with Paul Vodra and Anthony Porreco of Hometown Sounds. Lightmare’s ability to blend the punchy, the political, and the personal into powerful, danceable music has […]

Art & Me Preservation Family Workshop: Celebrating Cherry Blossoms with the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Art & Me Preservation Family Workshop: Celebrating Cherry Blossoms Saturday, March 27, 10–10:45 a.m. ET Celebrate the arrival of spring and the beloved cherry blossoms with a festive virtual family workshop. Discover how Smithsonian conservators preserve beautiful artworks, from paintings to Japanese tea bowls. Then try your hand at making your own cherry blossom–inspired creation. This […]

New Writings in American Art: Virtual Conversation with Alexander Nemerov

Virtual Event

Thursday, April 8, 7 p.m. ET Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a virtual conversation featuring author and professor Alexander Nemerov. Learn more about Nemerov’s most recent publication Fierce Poise: Helen Frankenthaler and 1950s New York (2021). This program is part of SAAM’s ongoing series New Writings in American Art, highlighting new scholarship and publications in the field […]

Handi-hour Online

Virtual Event

Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. ET Grab some colorful duct tape and register now for the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s popular crafting happy hour! Join us for a live crafting […]

Podcast Release: Luce Listening Party with Jenna Camille

Virtual Event

Friday, April 23 Luce Unplugged has gone digital! Tune in for a podcast episode featuring singer-songwriter Jenna Camille in conversation with Paul Vodra and Anthony Porreco of Hometown Sounds. Jenna Camille’s background in improvisational jazz brings […]

Virtual May Day Family Celebration

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Virtual May Day Family Celebration Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m. ET Celebrate spring and learn more about art and environmental conservation with our virtual May Day family program. Explore how […]

See Me Online at SAAM 

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Wednesday, May 5, 2 p.m. ET Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a virtual program designed for art lovers with mild to moderate dementia and their care partners. Enjoy an opportunity to discuss and engage with artworks from SAAM’s collection. Space is limited, and registration is required; email access@si.edu or call 202.633.2921 to register. Location: Online Tickets: Free […]

New Writings in American Art: Virtual Conversation with Adair Margo 

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Wednesday, May 5, 7 p.m. ET Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a virtual conversation featuring author and arts leader Adair Margo. Learn more about Margo’s most recent publication, Voices of […]

Smithsonian American Art Museum Virtual Fellows Lectures

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Wednesday, May 12, 2:30–5 p.m. ET Thursday, May 13, 2:30–5 p.m. ET Friday, May 14, 2:30–5 p.m. ET Join the 2020–2021 class of Smithsonian American Art Museum research fellows as […]

Art Signs Online: Artful Conversations in ASL

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Thursday, May 13, 5:30 p.m. ET Curious about American art? Join us for a 30-minute gallery conversation about selected works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. This program is […]

Smithsonian American Art Museum Reopening

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, reopen to the public Friday, May 14. This is the second reopening of the museum following closures on […]

Beyond the Studio Virtual Workshop: Watercolor Illustration with Marcella Kriebel 

Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum F St NW &, 8th St NW, Washington, DC, United States

Sunday, May 23, 1–2 p.m. ET Venture beyond the studio with DC artist Marcella Kriebel. Register now for this engaging Zoom workshop and learn the basics of watercolor and illustration techniques, then try your hand at making your own masterpiece. Kriebel is known for her culinary watercolor paintings and murals throughout DC, which include collaborations with […]

SAAM Arcade

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Free Week-Long Virtual Event Celebrates Community and Individuality in Gaming The Smithsonian American Art Museum will present its annual “SAAM Arcade” online this year and, for the first time, in […]

Viewfinder Virtual Film Series: Leslie Thornton on Surviving

Online

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for an engaging virtual lecture with award-winning filmmaker Leslie Thornton. Learn how Thornton, with her decades-long episodic film epic Peggy and Fred in Hell […]

Free

Viewfinder Virtual Film Series: Leslie Thornton on Surviving 

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

August 5, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. ET Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for an engaging virtual lecture with award-winning filmmaker Leslie Thornton. Learn how Thornton, with her decades-long episodic film […]

Smithsonian American Art Museum September Events

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

America InSight Online: Verbal Description Tours Thursday, September 2, 5:30 p.m. ET Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum online for a docent-led tour designed for participants who are blind or […]

Clarice Smith Virtual Lecture Series with Fred Wilson

Online

Take a journey lead by the creative powerhouse, Fred Wilson, during this captivating virtual lecture. Listen as he traces his artistic career and process through many decades, mediums, and techniques. […]

Free

Building Your Future in a Changing Museum World

Online

Museums are powered by professionals with wide-ranging backgrounds—from historians and scientists to accountants, attorneys, computer programmers, and graphic designers. Join staff members from the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and […]

Free

Clarice Smith Virtual Lecture with Nada Shabout

Online

Examine the enduring impact of colonialism and orientalism within the mainstream history of modernism with scholar Nada Shabout. During this captivating virtual talk, discuss efforts to decolonize the field of art history and prioritize inclusion and equity. Shabout highlights the noticeable absence of Arab artists in conventional narratives about modern and contemporary art, and uses […]

Free

Clarice Smith Virtual Lecture with Richard Powell

Online

Discover the magnificent Scandinavian landscapes and other European-based paintings created by celebrated Harlem Renaissance painter William H. Johnson. Take a deep dive into this often overlooked and misunderstood period in […]

Free

Film Preview: Walls of Respect: Norman Parish and the Parish Art Gallery

City Tavern Club 3206 M Street N.W., Washington, DC, United States

You are cordially invited to the preview of Walls of Respect: Norman Parish and the Parish Art Gallery, a new documentary about the legacy of the acclaimed artist and activist […]

$10

Art Signs Online: An Artful Conversation in ASL

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Curious about American art? Join us for a 30-minute virtual conversation about selected works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. This program is presented in American Sign Language (ASL) […]

Free

In-Person Teacher Workshop: Differentiate Instruction with Art

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

How can artwork help all students access core learning? Differentiated instruction allows teachers to adapt content, process, and products to students’ needs. Collaborate with colleagues and uncover how artwork can […]

Free

Art & Me Preservation Virtual Family Workshop: Celebrating Ceramics

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Something old, something new! Compare how ceramics are made today, in the past, and across the globe! Learn how conservators care for ceramics during this virtual family workshop. Attendees then […]

Free

Art Bites Gallery Talk

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and how each one […]

Free

In-Person Día de los Muertos Family Day

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum in celebrating Día de los Muertos! Bring the whole family to see exciting live performances from Ballet Folklorico Mi Herencia Mexicana, Mariachi Aguila DC, […]

Free

Virtual Teacher Workshop: Build SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) Skills

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

People are all different. Our bodies, families, beliefs, abilities, and experiences vary, sometimes making communication difficult. Artwork can often communicate what we do not have the words for across cultures […]

Free

Art Bites Gallery Talk

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join SAAM's research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and how each one […]

Free

In-Person Lunar New Year Family Celebration

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian American Art Museum G Street NW &, 8th St. NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Ring in the Lunar New Year at SAAM! Join us for our annual celebration featuring Chinese and Korean traditions, including performances, crafts, food, and more. Learn about the importance of […]

Free

In-Person Caring for Our Treasures: Family Time with the Hampton Throne

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join us for a family friendly look at James Hampton’s Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly with Lunder Conservation Fellow Objects Conservator Katya Zinsli. Explore […]

Free

In-Person SAAM Fellows Lectures

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Wednesday, May 17-Friday, May 19, 2023 1 – 5pm EDT (daily) Join the 2022–2023 class of Smithsonian American Art Museum research fellows as they present new scholarship on a range […]

Free

In-Person Take 5! Jazz at SAAM with Max Light

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian American Art Museum G Street NW &, 8th St. NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join us for the return of our popular "Take 5! Jazz at SAAM" program. Beat the heat and relax in the Kogod Courtyard. Kicking off our program series is Washington, […]

Free

In-Person Art Bites Gallery Talk

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and how each one […]

Free

In-Person Pride Family Day

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian American Art Museum G Street NW &, 8th St. NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Celebrate with your chosen family at SAAM’s Pride Family Day in the Kogod Courtyard and march to the beat of DC’s Different Drummers. Then dance to the sounds of Afro-Brazilian […]

Free

In-Person Take 5: Jazz at SAAM with Sarah Elizabeth Charles

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian American Art Museum G Street NW &, 8th St. NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Celebrate a uniquely American art form with Take 5: Jazz at SAAM, a series of free, live performances in SAAM’s airy Kogod Courtyard. This month features Sarah Elizabeth Charles, a […]

Free

Virtual Artist Conversation with Carrie Mae Weems

Online

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to hear from legendary artist Carrie Mae Weems, joined in conversation by Saisha Grayson, SAAM’s curator of time-based media, to discuss her new exhibition "Carrie […]

Free

In-Person American Voices and Visions: Modern and Contemporary Art Open House

Smithsonian American Art Museum F Street and 8th Street NW, Washington DC, DC, United States

Join SAAM’s curatorial and conservation staff for a series of gallery talks exploring the newly reimagined and reinstalled modern and contemporary art galleries, as well as a look at our […]

Free

“Musical Thinking” Gallery Talk

G Street Lobby, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Go in-depth with Saisha Grayson, curator of time-based media at SAAM, as she discusses the years-long curatorial process behind Musical Thinking: New Video Art and Sonic Strategies. Learn about her […]

Free

Art Bites Gallery Talk

G Street Lobby, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and how each one […]

Free

Ciné-Concert: The Blood of a Poet

National Gallery of Art, East Building 150 4th Street NW, Washington, DC, United States

New score performed live by Matthew Nolan and Erik Friedlander The Blood of a Poet (Le Sang d'un Poète), the first part of Jean Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy, is considered one […]

Free