Smithsonian for Art Lovers: A Walk Through Global Creativity

Begin your journey with a 7-minute walk from the Smithsonian Metro to the Hirshhorn Museum, the Smithsonian’s home for modern and contemporary art. Here, immersive experiences await: be enveloped by Barbara Kruger’s dynamic Belief+Doubt, trace American history through abstraction in Mark Bradford: Pickett’s Charge, or tune in to the multimedia storytelling of Laurie Anderson: Four Talks. Refuel with a treat at Dolcezza Coffee & Gelato.

From there, venture a few minutes farther to the National Museum of African Art or National Museum of Asian Art—both offering deep, diverse perspectives through extraordinary exhibitions. At the African Art Museum, encounter poetic intersections of identity and space in Tsedaye Makonnen’s Sanctuary: መቅደስ :: Mekdes, explore layered histories in Visionary, and dive into elemental aesthetics in Currents: Water in African Art.

Over at the Asian Art Museum, follow the ancient allure of Chinese jade burial art, admire the quiet beauty in Japanese Art from the Collection, or journey the Silk Roads through The Sogdians and Rediscovering Korea’s Past. Stop by the Moongate Cafe for food and drinks inspired by the traditions and cultures of Asia.

With stunning spaces, world-class exhibitions, and delightful café stops along the way, this itinerary is a love letter to the global language of art. Open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm (except December 25), with the Hirshhorn opening at noon on Mondays. Admission is free, and no timed-entry passes are required.