The District’s museums offer a lineup of exhibits and cultural experiences throughout the fall.
Arts and culture reign each fall in Washington, DC, as both theaters and museums debut new attractions. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most intriguing exhibits and displays to be found at DC’s museums throughout the season. Don't forget: many of DC's museums can be visited for free.
Amy Sherald: American Sublime – Sept. 19 – Feb. 22, 2026
Marvel at the work from one of the great painters of the 21st century when you visit this exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery next fall. Amy Sherald’s iconic portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor will be joined by a coterie of additional works, marking the largest, most comprehensive display of the artist’s work to date.
8th Street NW & G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985 – Sept. 21 – Jan. 4, 2025
The National Gallery of Art hosts a monumental tribute to the work of Black artists from around the world. Photography and the Black Arts Movement spans four decades and features roughly 150 pieces by more than 100 artists, including luminaries such as Gordon Parks, Carrie Mae Weems, Frank Stewart, Billy Abernathy, David C. Driskell, Lorna Simpson and many more.
4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20565
Bond In Motion – Through Sept. 2025
Across more than six decades of films, James Bond has become the on-screen embodiment of spies for millions. The International Spy Museum pays homage to the fictional character, along with his allies and adversaries, with a breathtaking display of iconic vehicles from the movies. In total, visitors can fix their eyes on 17 pieces, including cars, motorcycles, submarines and even more from the Q Branch Garage.
Hours & Admission
International Spy Museum, 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024
Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour – Frederick Douglass – Through Dec. 6, 2026
The first joint acquisition of the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (the two share a building) is Sir Isaac Julien’s fascinating moving image installation, which blends period reenactments across give screens to give the viewer insight into the life, accomplishments, activism and brilliance of Frederick Douglass (1818-1895).
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
National Portrait Gallery, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond – Through Nov. 30, 2025
A new exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, will showcase the imprint of Asian Americans on the physical and cultural terrain of the nation's capital. Installed in a gallery that overlooks DC's Chinatown, the exhibition features examples of cultural products that feature Chinese, Korean and Japanese heritage and/or express coalitional Asian American and BIPOC identities. These include displays of artwork, material culture, images and other graphic material drawn from Smithsonian collections and shared by local lenders, including community members and repositories such as the DC History Center and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. A free celebration on Sept. 7 marks the exhibit's opening.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Collecting Memories – Through Dec. 2025
The Library of Congress opens its new David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery with a brand-new exhibit filled to the brim with fascinating artifacts across its 120 items. Collecting Memories includes Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, a map from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, lyrics from The Sound of Music and much more in its examination of how cultures preserve the past.
Hours | Free Admission
Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540
Martin E. Red Bear / National Museum of the American Indian
Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains – Through Jan. 20, 2026
The National Museum of the American Indian celebrates narrative art among Native nations of the Great Plains with an exciting new exhibition. You'll see historical works alongside contemporary commissions, from battle records to ledger books to pop culture takes.
More info | Free Admission
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street & Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Ruffled Feathers: Creating Whistler’s Peacock Room – Through Jan. 31, 2027
One of the most famous rooms in the nation’s capital receives a full in-depth investigation thanks to a new exhibit at the National Museum of Asian Art. The Peacock Room is the museum’s calling card, and this display will be located right next door. The creation of James McNeill Whistler was originally meant for the London home of British businessman Frederick Leyland. Its origin story and tangled history is detailed through paintings, works on paper, decorative art and additional ephemera.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Do Ho Suh: Public Figures – Through April 29, 2029
South Korean artist Do Ho Suh has created a special edition of his work Public Figures for installation at the very front of the National Museum of Asian Art, signifying the next phase of the museum. Suh was commissioned for the project thanks to his outstanding international reputation. He was one of the earliest contemporary artists featured at the museum and this new sculpture will be the first installed outside the Freer Gallery of Art in more than 30 years.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Change Your Game – Ongoing
The National Museum of American History’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention developed a new exhibit filled with interactive elements that highlight the intersection of invention, sports and technology. Items on display include a prototype of the Jogbra from the 1970s, a football helmet with Crash Cloud prototype to help protect the brain, a Hawk-Eye camera used during the pandemic by the U.S. Open to automate line calls and prostheses that made extreme sports possible for athletes with amputations.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Building Stories – Ongoing
The National Building Museum invites your family to embark on an immersive exploration of architecture, construction, engineering and design found in children’s books. Curated by children’s literature expert Leonard Marcus, Building Stories marks the first national exhibition to showcase the built environment’s role as an essential character in formative tales of our collective youth. Expect plenty of interactive elements.
Hours & Admission
National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
John Akomfrah: Five Murmurations – Ongoing
Artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and worldwide protests in support of Black Lives Matter in a visual essay to define our turbulent times. Utilizing an image archive filled with seminal works of art and scenes shot during the fraught 18-month period between 2019 and 2021, Five Murmurations features insights into post-colonialism, diasporic experience and the concept of collective memory.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Glen Kaino: Bridge – Ongoing
This jaw-dropping aerial sculpture is comprised of 200 golden arms hanging from the ceiling of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center. Each piece is a casting of the outstretched right arm of Tommie Smith, the American winner of the men’s 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. During the medal ceremony, Smith bowed his head and raised his Black-gloved fist in an act of protest. Decades later, Glen Kaino collaborated with Smith on the grand statement of an installation.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Fierce Flora: Tales of Survival and Demise – Ongoing
The U.S. Botanic Garden invites you to see the ferocious side of flora and fauna at its special new exhibit. Many plants have evolved defenses against infection, herbivores and their plant competition. The multisensory display will showcase this evolution and also pinpoint how these plants can be both harmful and helpful to humans.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20001
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
More About DC
