Créée pour la nation en 1937 par une loi du Congrès et dotée par Andrew W. Mellon, la National Gallery of Art se déploie sur trois espaces interconnectés. Surmonté d'un dôme néoclassique, le West Building (1941), conçu par John Russell Pope, accueille l'art européen et américain du Moyen Âge à la fin du XIXe siècle ; il abrite notamment le portrait de Ginevra de' Benci de Léonard de Vinci — l'unique tableau du maître conservé sur le continent américain —, aux côtés de chefs-d'œuvre de Raphaël, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Monet et Van Gogh. Aux lignes acérées et géométriques, l'East Building (1978), signé I. M. Pei, se consacre à l'art moderne et contemporain, mettant en valeur un mobile monumental de Calder dans son atrium ainsi que des galeries en mezzanine dédiées à Calder et Rothko. De l'autre côté de la 7th Street, le Sculpture Garden s'étend sur près de 2,5 hectares autour d'un bassin central, réunissant des œuvres de Louise Bourgeois, Roy Lichtenstein et d'autres figures majeures. Fidèle à sa vocation fondatrice, le musée propose une entrée gratuite depuis son ouverture.
Visitor Information
- Is National Gallery of Art free to visit?
- Yes, general admission to National Gallery of Art is free. Admission is always free; no timed passes are required for the permanent collection or special exhibitions.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.
- What are the opening hours of National Gallery of Art?
- National Gallery of Art is open Open daily 10:00–17:00. Closed 25 December and 1 January. The Sculpture Garden keeps the same daily hours, but stays open until 20:00 Wednesday–Saturday during the summer season (roughly early June to early September), when Jazz in the Garden runs on Fridays.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
- Where is National Gallery of Art?
- National Gallery of Art is located at Constitution Avenue NW, between 3rd and 9th Streets NW, Washington, DC 20565, United States, in the National Mall area of Washington, DC. The nearest stations are Archives–Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter (Green, Yellow lines), Judiciary Square (Red line), Smithsonian (Blue, Orange, Silver lines).
- What can I see at National Gallery of Art?
- Deux édifices emblématiques et un jardin de sculptures sur le National Mall, abritant le seul Léonard de Vinci des Amériques — et toujours gratuit. Current highlights include West Building Sculpture Galleries, Chère Amérique : des artistes explorent l'expérience américaine (Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience), Va-et-vient (Back and Forth).
- Do I need to book National Gallery of Art in advance?
- National Gallery of Art is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Admission is always free; no timed passes are required for the permanent collection or special exhibitions.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.
- When is the best time to visit National Gallery of Art?
- 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.