Working on first draft of our trip to DC in June. We would like to go to at least one Art museum. We loved the Art Institute of Chicago, the Met in NY was okay, we go to the De Young in SF almost every year. Thank you in advance for all you wonderful advise.

IMHO, the National Gallery, without question.

If you decide to fit in a 2nd art museum, I'd recommend the Phillips Collection, which is open late (until 8) on Thursdays.

The National Gallery, agreed. Divide and conquer the east and west wings with lunch or a gelato break at the Cascade Cafe.

If the National Gallery seems too much, the Phillips collection is small, has lots of famous paintings in a house stating, is near the DuPont Metro and is within minutes of restaurants at every price point and a variety of cuisines. ("Met okay"?)

When you say "the Met in NY was okay" I am wondering what sort of art you enjoy most. There are other museums besides those recommended above which you might enjoy even more.

The National Gallery of Art is a world class institution so if you only have time for one that would be your best and richest target of opportunity. After that, I would head to the nearby Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery for both the art and the architecture. After that, I listed in order my own personal preference.

1. National Gallery
2. Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery

3. Phillips Collection
4. Corcoran Gallery
5. Smithsonian Renwick Gallery
6. Smithsonian Hirshorn Museum
7. Smithsonian African Art Museum
8. Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian

Be aware that the Renwick (which is excellent) is focused mainly on American crafts and decorative arts, some of which are absolutely amazing IMO. The Hirshhorn has a great deal of what most people would collectively call "modern art." The Corcoran focuses on American art but it certainly has European masters represented.

I also wonder why you think the Met was just OK, as that could be telling.

But I totally agree with the National Gallery as a first choice, very closely followed by the Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery, and the Phillips Collection. In other words, a second to the top three mentioned by obxgirl.

Agree it would help to know why the Met was just OK?

Overwhelming?

Didn;t have what you were looking for?

Tried to see the whole thing?

Are you looking for a particular type of art? (The Met isn't where you go for modern!)

Thank you so much for all the info! Sorry I dropped off for days, family emergency. I think the reason I felt the Met was just ok was we had just gone to the Chicago Institute of Art and it was amazing. We were fortunate enough to be there when there was an outstanding Monet exhibit. We have also had some great visiting exhibits at the DeYoung. Granted we only had a few hours at the Met too.
I was so sad to find this article today. Have any of you heard anything? I have not seen anything on the Smithsonian web site regarding this.
http://news.yahoo.com/smithsonian-cl...193050347.html

My current understanding is consistent with what this article says: Major museums (like the National Gallery) will not be closing or cutting hours, but smaller, less frequently visited Smithsonian institutions will be reducing their hours.

If you are flying (especially into National) you may be much more likely to be impacted by a slowdown than by any changes in museum hours.

Yes Dukey1 I was just reading about that this morning. We are flying from SFO, with only a 50 min layover at Chicago Midway into Dulles, then out of Reagan but just down to Orlando. Our layover from Orlando home is even tighter. We will definitely be even smarter about our carry on.
We are still waiting to hear back about out tickets from our Senator and a friend with the Secret Service, thus only have a tentative plan for our 4 days. And then of course posting the itinerary here for advice/review!

"Best art museum is no doubt the National Art Gallery. And it is free! Some people say this place is even better than some museums in New York. I have my top 5 of art museums and museums to visit in the DC area.

1. National Art Gallery
2. Smithsonian American Art & Portrait Gallery
3. Newseum. This is for the Pulitzer price photography collection.
4. Smithsonian African Art Museum
5. Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian

There are other places also pretty no only for the classic understanding of art but also for their historical and natural value.

1. Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
2. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
3. Arlington Cemetery
"

Great point about the Newseum, which is worth visiting for any number of reasons IMO. Keep in mind that some of the Pulitzer Prize winning photographs are of extremely painful images.

Love the National, and it would also be my first choice, but I would also look to see what special exhibitions were on, there or elsewhere.

The old US Patent Building is worth seeing for the restoration as much as for the art work, though that is interesting.

One very special thing I would try to see is Whistler's Peacock Room. It is fully assembled in the Freer Gallery. Just ask directions to the Whistler collection and Peacock Room and breeze past all the other wonderful stuff there - if you can keep from looking. The Freer is on the Mall, opposite side from National and could take 30 minutes max and worth every second of it. It is an amazing thing to have in the US and great that you can just stick the visit in between other museums, etc. If you are not familiar with it, do look it up on line.

Need to get caught up. First and foremost, thank you all! Decided on National. Actually not going to Kennedy Center tour to fit in other sites. Sassafrass the US Patent Building sounds quite us and interesting, if we have a hole, will try to slip it in. kja and ConnorCopperly1970, I love photography and the Freer sounds wonderful. I will keep it on the back up list.
Sad to report that the National Archives has cut there hours for summer, or to be more accurate they are not extending there hours for the peak season.
Okay, I am not a Tour bus person, nor Cruises for that matter, but I was planning on the Night Momument tour. It afforded us to see many we want to, short time, and no walking. On Board Tours was just shut down due to violations. I liked the Monuments that DCtours.us has on their tour but cannot find any reviews for them. Any advise on this one?

> kja and ConnorCopperly1970, I love photography and the Freer sounds wonderful.

Hmm... The Freer & Sackler are outstanding if your interest is Asian art. Just to be clear, I think ConnorCopperly1970 and I were referring to the collection of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs at the Newseum. Sassafrass recommended Whistler's Peacock Room in the Freer.

Kja is correct. I was referring to the dining room painted by Whistler and completely reconstructed inside the Freer. There are some wonderful paintings in the Freer, but it is devoted mainly to Asian art. Unless the Asian art is of special interest (and it is an incredible collection) I suggest most people go directly to the Peacock Room. You could spend lots of time, but allow about 30 minutes from entering the museum to departing for a good look at the room.

Here is, unfortunately, the latest sequester effect info:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...y.html?hpid=z5