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Exterior of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a Renaissance Revival former Masonic Temple on the corner of New York Avenue and 13th Street NW in Washington, DC

National Museum of Women in the Arts

DesignArtPhotographyOpens 10amFrom $16Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange, Silver) - 4 min walk

Founded by Wallace and Wilhelmina Cole Holladay and opened in 1987, NMWA was the first museum in the world dedicated exclusively to championing women through the arts. Its collection spans the 16th century to today, with works by Lavinia Fontana, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, plus over 1,000 artists' books. The museum occupies a Renaissance Revival former Masonic Temple designed by Waddy B. Wood, which spent four decades as a cinema before being rescued for the arts. A $67.5 million renovation added gallery space and a learning centre, reopening the building in October 2023.

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On nowAll of October 2026

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Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Indian, Indio, Indigenous (1992): a horizontal canvas combining collaged map scraps, comic strips, cloth swatches and dripped paint with scrawled phrases.

Remix: The Collection

The museum-wide collection installation, rejecting chronology for themes like Photo Credit, Seeing Red and Objectified across six continents and six centuries of women artists.

Now showing21 Oct 2023 – 16 Jan 2028$16
A detail shot of a black-and-white image of a person's face printed on plexiglas that has been shattered in the center.

Marlo Pascual: Making Something Out of Something

Marlo Pascual (1972-2020) enlarged, shattered and folded anonymous thrift-store photographs into uncanny Plexiglas sculptures that blur the line between picture and object.

Now showing24 Jul – 28 Feb 2027$16
A vibrant, hand-quilted cotton textile features a combination of blue, orange, yellow, and red patchwork.

Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California

Over 80 quilts trace the Second Great Migration west, carried as warmth, ancestral memory and emblems of cultural survival by Black families settling in California.

Now showing18 Sept – 17 Jan 2027$16
A circular, rust-colored sculpture and three rust-colored columns in the median of a city street.

Beverly Pepper: Land Art and Monumental Sculptures

Gallery-scale sculptures, maquettes and a new film on Beverly Pepper (1922-2020), pairing with her outdoor installation along New York Avenue right outside the museum's door.

Now showing23 Oct – 25 Apr 2027$16
A close-up of a small, light blue crystal formation displayed on a rock, surrounded by colorful, paper-like flower shapes and decorations on a purple textured surface.

Women to Watch 2027: A Book Arts Revolution

NMWA's hallmark biennial series returns with contemporary artists' books: sculptural, printed and paper works that rethink what a book can be, chosen with the museum's global committees.

Upcoming14 Apr 2027 – 8 Aug 2027$16
Against a loosely painted purple-pink background, a girl with light skin tone and long light-brown hair stands with her hands clasped, looking directly out at the viewer.

Gwen John: Strange Beauties

The most comprehensive survey of Gwen John (1876-1939) in over 40 years, uniting her quiet oil portraits with rarely seen drawings and watercolours from Wales to Paris.

Upcoming30 Jul 2027 – 28 Nov 2027$16

Permanent Collections

Detail of Laure Tixier's Plaid Houses maquettes: an in-focus blue felt house with visible stitches and coarse texture beside an out-of-focus orange one.

The NMWA Collection

Thousands of works by women artists from the 16th century to today, including Lavinia Fontana, Vigee Le Brun, Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo and Laure Tixier's felt Plaid Houses.

Permanent collection$16
Two books, Fired Up! Ready to Go and I Was Their American Dream, rest on a tabletop, along with a small vase of pink and lavender flowers.

Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center

Over 25,000 books plus 800 artists' books and zines, with archives holding the Judy Chicago Visual Archive, Frida Kahlo's personal papers and Eulabee Dix's palette and brush.

Permanent collectionFree

Plan Your Visit

Getting there

1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005, United States

Nearest station: Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange, Silver) - 4 min walk, McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver) and Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow) - 10 min walk

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Hours

Closed 26 November

Closed - Thanksgiving

MonClosed
Tue10:00–17:00
Wed10:00–17:00
Thu10:00–17:00
Fri10:00–17:00
SatToday10:00–17:00
Sun10:00–17:00

Admission

From $16

Seniors 65+, students over 21 and DC residents $13. Free for visitors aged 21 and under, members, visitors with disabilities plus an attendant, and SNAP/EBT cardholders. Free admission for all on the first Sunday and second Wednesday of every month.

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Visitor Information

How much does National Museum of Women in the Arts cost?
Standard adult admission to National Museum of Women in the Arts is $16. Seniors 65+, students over 21 and DC residents $13. Free for visitors aged 21 and under, members, visitors with disabilities plus an attendant, and SNAP/EBT cardholders. Free admission for all on the first Sunday and second Wednesday of every month.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.
What are the opening hours of National Museum of Women in the Arts?
National Museum of Women in the Arts is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm); closed Mondays. Closed Thanksgiving (26 Nov 2026), Christmas Day (25 Dec 2026) and New Year's Day (1 Jan 2027).. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is National Museum of Women in the Arts?
National Museum of Women in the Arts is located at 1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005, United States, in the Downtown area of Washington, DC. The nearest stations are Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange, Silver) - 4 min walk, McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver) and Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow) - 10 min walk.
What can I see at National Museum of Women in the Arts?
The world's first museum devoted solely to women artists, in a grand 1908 Masonic Temple off New York Avenue. Current highlights include The NMWA Collection, Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center and Beverly Pepper: Land Art and Monumental Sculptures.
Do I need to book National Museum of Women in the Arts in advance?
Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.
When is the best time to visit National Museum of Women in the Arts?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.

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