Art & Design

In an empire where visual representation meant power, Hamida Banu Begum (ca. 1527–1604) achieved something remarkable—her image appears in at least nine surviving Mughal court paintings from her lifetime.

Curator Sol Jung explores the past and present of Japanese tea practice with a behind-the-scenes look at the Kinsey Chanoyu Collection and its impact on the Freer Study Collection.

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Design Visionary Award winner Robert Earl Paige—the first program in a new series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor.

A rare eighteenth-century portrait of Spanish military leader Bernardo de Gálvez (1746–1786) by Cuban painter José Nicolás de Escalera makes its U.S. premiere at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery after more than four generations in .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation, two additions join the museum’s Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900 exhibition: a freshly conserved diorama depicting the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and a new .... Shortened snippet. View full page for more details.

Next time you think about fixing a page rip with a little tape, please. DON’T.