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Attractions near National Gallery of Art: National Archives Museum National Mall National Air and Space Museum

National Gallery of Art - History, Location & Key Facts 2022

Q: What else should I know about attractions in Washington DC?

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The Basics

The National Gallery of Art’s permanent collection is comprised of mostly American and European art from the Renaissance period to today. Loan collections and temporary exhibitions bring a variety of styles and cultural representation to the museum. Extensive educational programs, lecture series, and guided tours offer visitors in-depth context to accompany the works of art on display.

Guided tours—including private and small-group options—can make seeing the vast collection more manageable. Many DC sightseeing tours pass by the gallery, and some hop-on hop-off bus tours stop here.

Things to Know Before You Go

The National Gallery of Art is a must-see for art aficionados.
Entrance to the museum is free.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the gallery.
There are a number of dining options within the museum, including outdoor and indoor cafés.
The gallery’s sculpture garden is a beautifully landscaped space with fountains and an impressive collection of contemporary sculptures.
The entire complex is accessible to wheelchair users; courtesy wheelchairs are available at the east and west entrances. Services and resources for visitors with vision and hearing impairments are available as well.

How to Get There

The National Gallery of Art and its sculpture garden are located on the north side of the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th streets along Constitution Avenue. It is easily reached by metro—the nearest stop is Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter—and the Washington DC Circulator Bus on the National Mall route. Driving is not recommended, as parking in the area is extremely limited.

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When to Go

The gallery is open from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 11am to 6pm Sunday, with some holiday closures. It offers a variety of concert and lecture series throughout the year; check the website for a schedule. Washington DC can have extreme weather conditions, so aim to visit in spring or autumn for pleasant temperatures and colorful foliage.

National Gallery of Art Family and Children’s Programs

The National Gallery of Art offers seasonal interactive, educational programs for families, kids, and teens. From Art Investigations, which help kids to use observations to analyze specific works of art, to hands-on studio workshops led by museum educators, there are programs suited to all ages. Check the website for registration details and timing.

Recent reviews from experiences in Washington DC

marlene_S, May 2022

The National Gallery of Art DC Guided Museum Tour - Private Tour

Well informed tour of National gallery- brings it to life ! Would recommend! Go during the week if possible.

Very informative and enjoyable!

James_B, May 2022

Our guide provided fascinating history about the museum’s famous works. She also took us to the most important works.

Meghan Magic

Shawn_J, Mar 2022

Smithsonian Natural History & National Gallery of Art Guided Tour - Private Tour

Meghan was very thoughtful to offer a wheelchair for our special needs son and was simply the smartest tour guide ever. She made me very minute of the tour interesting with her fascinating stories and high energy, which kept even our 3 boys glued to her. So worth the money not to wander aimlessly for hours on our own.

these tours are five-star!

Anne_D, Mar 2022

Smithsonian Natural History & National Gallery of Art Tour - 8ppl Max

both our guides, meghan and richard, were excellent. i was so glad i paid the money for a semi-private tour of the museum and national gallery. my granddaughter and i enjoyed every minute of the tours. my only recommendation is that more time be allotted to lunch. we practically had to inhale our sandwiches!

Memorable tour and beautiful museum

Bruce_Z, Feb 2022

The National Gallery of Art DC Guided Museum Tour - 8ppl Max

Our tour guide Meaghan was excellent! Very knowledgeable, passionate and entertaining . We would recommend her highly

Educational and entertaining

Lemmon_M, Jan 2022

Very educational and entertaining tour with our tour guide Megan. She was able to allow us to see a wide variety of the museum that really captured it’s essence.

Great tour guide

Nicole_b, Apr 2022

Donna is an excellent tour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable. I’d book a tour with her again……..

A wonderful time at the National Gallery of Art with Tosca

Lisa_C, Oct 2021

Curated Tour - National Gallery of Art with French Art Historian

I had a wonderful tour with Tosca. I indicated that I enjoyed Italian Renaissance art and she paid special attention to that. She gave information about the paintings and the artists as well. I found the stories about the artists so fascinating that I enjoyed the paintings even more. She made my visit to the National Gallery of Art and very enjoyable experience.

The Mall was very good...

RICHARD_S, Sep 2021

DC Mall & National Gallery of Art Guided Walking Tour - 8ppl Max

The Mall was very good and the guide was very knowledgabe in the National Gallery abot all of the artwork. He also had a GREAT personality!

Leigh was a GREAT guide at The National Gallery of Art!!!

Brayton_J, Aug 2021

Leigh was delightful, knowledgeable and just an all around great guide - I would highly recommend her!

Best Guide!

Nancy_G, Jun 2021

DC Mall & National Gallery of Art Guided Walking Guided Tour - Private Tour

Our guide, Tony was incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much and had a great time seeing the monuments and art gallery. The tour exceeded our expectations!

Great experience!

Diana_D, Feb 2022

Douglas was a great tour guide. Personalized the tour and walked and explained the tour at our pace. This was a unique and memorable experience and I recommend it to couples interested in learning new things.

National Gallery of Art