Every history and art lover’s dream, Washington D.C. is home to over 70 museums, including 19 free Smithsonian museums and galleries. With each museum boasting a rotation of numerous must-see exhibits, trying to choose where to start can be overwhelming. Here, we’ve broken down a few exhibits coming to D.C. in 2024 you want to make sure you catch:
1. The National Museum of Women in the Arts
Now, the NMWA has a stunning exhibition called “In Focus: Artists at Work” that highlights the practices and perspectives of eight contemporary collection artists via short documentary-style videos. In addition to several other interesting exhibits, this museum is a must-visit in 2024!
2. Monet: The Immersive Experience
In this multi-sensory wonderland, Monet’s vivid masterpieces are brought to life through state-of-the-art immersive technology. Get ready to step into 360° digital projections of the French artist’s iconic pieces and view his impressionist brushstrokes up close like never before. Famous works like The Water Lily Pond, Poppies, Sunrise, and more will swirl around the room, completely captivating you as you wander about the open space, or sit and take it all in. Don’t miss your chance to go while it’s still in town!
3. Hirshhorn Museum: OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY
Coming in May of 2024, the “OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY” exhibit will be one of the largest displays of the Brazillian twin artists, Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo. The extremely interesting and innovative exhibit reflects the artists’ iconic use of modern styles like street graffiti and urban art, conveyed using mediums like wood and canvas.
4. & 5. The Rubell Museum’s two new coexisting exihibitions
Exhibit One – Singular Views: 25 Artists
The Rubell Museum—housed in the former historically Black 1906 Randall Junior High School—will utilize its 32,000 square feet to boast the original architecture reimagined as galleries featuring “artwork that provides perspectives, insights, and commentary on contemporary ideas and issues.” The recently installed exhibition “Singular Views: 25 Artists” is a display of 25 unique contemporary artists from across America. Learn more here!
Exhibit Two – Alexandre Diop: Jooba Jubba, l’Art du Defi, the Art of Challenge
Features the work of Franco-Sangalese Vienna-based artist Alexandre Diop. The work is inspired by concepts like colonialism and diaspora and their impact on themes like ancestry, tradition, suffering, and even violence. This being part of the Rubell Museum D.C.’s second-ever installation, signifies the significance of this work and the strong message that it conveys.
6. Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience
This incredible exhibit seems to turn fun into a scientific equation with ten unique rooms each of which triggers your senses differently; from lights with stunning visuals to a room dedicated to pillow fights, not to mention the oxygen aromatherapy bar at the end! This place is a must-visit exhibit for anyone in D.C. this spring before they close at the end of April!
Location: 5333 Wisconsin Ave NW
7. Visit the temporary free museum that’s taken over an empty West End office building
Filled with some of the best artists from D.C. and the surrounding area, this incredible art experience is a can’t miss before it closes down on April 28th! The space takes up multiple floors of an empty office space that has been designated for conversion into residential housing, meaning that the artists can take full advantage of the building and all its spaces before it gets fully renovated later this year.
8. The Spy Museum’s “Bond in Motion” exhibit
Celebrating the decades of cultural influence and impact that the James Bond saga has had on society, The Spy Museum’s latest exhibition is centered around the various vehicles seen throughout the character’s legendary cinematic history. A total of 17 Bond vehicles ranging from his iconic Aston Martin to motorcycles, submarines, and a few of the creative inventions from the Q branch that he’s used on screen throughout the years. Tickets to the Bond In Motion exhibit only are listed at $13 per person, if you want to fully experience the Spy Museum, a combo deal between General Admission to the museum as well as the Bond exhibit is available starting at $40 for adults and $29 for children.
9. The “Future of Orchids” exhibit at the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
This incredible exhibit, complete with over 350 live orchids, first opened on January 27th and will remain open until April 28th, 2024. The exhibit is centered around the beauty of nature, specifically the varying forms of beauty that the orchid plant comes in, and how climate change is posing a serious threat to the future of these striking plants. The display, along with the hundreds of live orchids, includes a variety of newly commissioned and loaned works by the contemporary artist, Phaan Howng.
“With this immersive exhibit, visitors can check out their bright colors, showy patterns and unexpected forms, and maybe catch a smell of their wildly varying aromas too.” – Joy Columbus, director of Smithsonian Gardens.
10. The Rothko on Paper Exhibit at the National Gallery of Art
Only remaining on display until March 31st, Washingtonians have just over a month left to take in the incredible works of Mark Rothko. Celebrated as one of the greatest abstract artists in history and known how his large paintings on canvas, the NGA has nearly 1,000 of his lesser-known paintings on paper on display right here in D.C.!