Attraction of the Week: The National Gallery of Art
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Out of all the wonderful museums located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of D.C., The National Gallery of Art is definitely right up there with the best-of-the-best. If you only have time for a few museums, be sure to put a visit to this wonderful gem high on your to-do list. With 25,200 square feet of space, the National Gallery comes in as one of the largest art museums in the US. Like many D.C. museums, admission is free all year-round! This is one of my personal favorites which is always on my bucket list.
Like all D.C. museums, the architecture of the building is just as impressive as the art collection itself. Even if you are not an avid art lover, this museum is worth visiting, if anything just to admire the outstanding design elements throughout.
This is a really big place: you really need to plan at least a few hours to take in the entirety of the collection. The impressive permanent collection includes over 150,000 works of art including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints. a creative underground walkway designed by Leo Villareal connects the East and West buildings.
The original West Building vs. the newer East Building
Both sections are impressive and worth checking out. For those limited on time keep in mind that the East building houses contemporary and modern art, while the West building focuses on the classics with pieces dating back to the Middle Ages.
Personally, I think both spaces are fantastic, but I would give the edge to the West building collection. In addition to featuring the works of notable artists such as Rembrandt, Cezanne, and Da Vinci, there are so many gorgeous sculptures and fountains. Plus, the architecture is incredible. If you love classic art this is the place for you! Some art pieces here date back to the 12th century!
The East Building Modern Collection
The East Building includes the works of many notable contemporary artists including Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and Jackson Pollock, amongst many other artists from the late 19th century through today. The design of this building by architect I.M. Pei is incredible. In fact, just walking to and from the galleries is an experience in and of itself. The colorful minimalist interior is sure to please the modern art lover.
A few highlights from Modern Art Galleries
Modern art is so colorful and eye catching. I am a big fan of Andy Warhol’s work and I absolutely love the Marilyn pop portrait. I have always been a big of Jasper Johns ever sitting visiting the Greenville Museum of Art (Jasper grew up in South Carolina and this museum houses a large collection). Take a look below at a few highlights from the collection.
The West Building Classic Collection
Architect John Russell Pope designed the original Western building in the 1930’s. This gorgeous neo classical building is one of the architectural wonders of D.C. Many historic paintings from famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Rembrandt can be found here. Personally, I love impressionist paintings: I could look at the Monet section all day.
You will find rooms and rooms of galleries to explore here – it’s actually quite a workout to cover everything! The collection includes European, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, and British art from the 12th-19th century. Most impressive is the gorgeous interior which features numerous sculptures and fountains.
Highlights from the West Building collection
In this photo gallery, you will find a few of my favorite art pieces. I love the work of Monet and Cezanne. I also love all the pretty sculptures and religious artifacts. Take a look below at just a few highlights from the massive collection.
So many gorgeous landscape paintings!
I really love looking at landscape paintings. This section truly is impressive with such a fine eye to detail. Take a look at a few highlights.
Most notably, the museum is the only in the Americas to feature a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci: the famous Ginevra de’Benci portrait. da Vinci painted the oil portrait of Ginevra between the years of 1474-1478. He is said to have painted the portrait to commemorate her marriage to Luigi di Bernardo Niccolini.
The National Sculpture Garden
You will also want to check out the National Sculpture Garden while you are in the vicinity. Seventeen amazing sculptures, including the famous Amor art piece by Robert Indiana line the grounds. Exploring the beautiful sculpture garden is one of the best things to do on a gorgeous D.C. spring day. I have highlighted a few of the pieces you will see while touring the grounds.
The Four Sided pyramid sculpture, designed by Sol LeWitt, was installed in 1997.
Location & Hours
The National Gallery of Art is located at: Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. Admission is free. Hours are: 10am-5pm, 7 days a week.
