Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Review

In 2003 the Hirshhorn made a bold addition to sculpture on the Mall: a 32-foot-tall yellow cartoon brush-stroke sculpture by pop-art iconographer Roy Lichtenstein. It became a beloved local landmark. Conceived as the nation's museum of modern and contemporary art, the Hirshhorn is home to nearly 12,000 works by masters like Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, and Willem de Kooning, as well as contemporary superstars like Damien Hirst and Olafur Eliasson. The art is displayed in a round 1974 poured-concrete building designed by Gordon Bunshaft. Dubbed the "Doughnut on the Mall" when it was built, it's now seen as a fitting home for contemporary art. Most of the collection was bequeathed by the museum's founder, Joseph H. Hirshhorn, a Latvian immigrant who made his fortune in uranium mines.

Highlights

The internationally renowned sculpture collection has masterpieces by Henry Moore, Alberto Giacometti, and Constantin Brancusi. Outside, sculptures dot a grass-and-granite garden, which, in addition to the Lichtenstein, boasts Henri Matisse's Backs I-IV and Auguste Rodin's Burghers of Calais.

Inside, the third level is the place to see masterworks from the museum's permanent collection, such as Alexander Calder's giant mobiles, Joan Miró's whimsical dreamscapes, or Andy Warhol's pop prints.

The second level has exhibits that rotate about three times a year, curated by museum staff and devoted to particular artists or themes.

The lower level houses the most-recent and experimental works, including multimedia and video installations in the Black Box Theater.

Tips

The sculpture garden makes an inspiring spot for a picnic.Docents lead impromptu 30-minute tours between noon and 4. Every Friday at 12:30 there is a free gallery talk and tour focusing on a current exhibition, led by an art expert or historian.Have a question? Seek out the artists and young arts professionals wearing question-mark badges around the museum.There are free activities and projects for children ages five to 11 and their parents at the museum's drop-in Improv Art Room on the lower level.About four times a year the museum hosts Hirshhorn After Hours events: huge parties that run from 9 to midnight in the museum and sculpture garden. Check the Web site to see if one is coming up during your visit: advance tickets are essential.The museum regularly screens independent and experimental films.