136 Best Sights in USA

One of the most important destinations on the First Thursday Art Walk, this gorgeous space featuring paintings, sculpture, and prints, is a top venue for national and regional artists. Be sure to check out the outdoor sculpture deck on the second level. If you have time for only one gallery visit, this is the place to go. You'll see big names that you might recognize, along with newer Northwest artists, and the thematic group shows are always thoughtful and well-presented.

The East Building opened in 1978 in response to the changing needs of the National Gallery, mainly to house a growing collection of modern and contemporary art. The building itself is a modern masterpiece. The site's trapezoidal shape prompted architect I.M. Pei's dramatic approach: two interlocking spaces shaped like triangles provide room for a library, galleries, auditoriums, and administrative offices. Inside the ax-blade-like southwest corner, a colorful, 76-foot-long Alexander Calder mobile dominates the sunlight atrium. Visitors can view a dynamic 500-piece collection of photography, paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and media arts in thought-provoking chronological, thematic, and stylistic arrangements.

Highlights include galleries devoted to Mark Rothko's giant, glowing canvases; Barnett Newman's 14 stark black, gray, and white canvas paintings from The Stations of the Cross, 1958–1966; and several colorful and whimsical Alexander Calder mobiles and sculptures. You can't miss Katharina Fritsch's Hahn/Cock, 2013, a tall blue rooster that appears to stand guard over the street and federal buildings from the roof terrace, which also offers views of the Capitol. The upper-level gallery showcases modern art from 1910 to 1980, including masterpieces by Constantin Brancusi, Marcel Duchamp, Sam Gilliam, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol. Ground-level galleries are devoted to American art from 1900 to 1950, including pieces by George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, Charles Sheeler, and Alfred Stieglitz. The concourse level is reserved for rotating special exhibitions.

The East Building Shop is on the concourse level, and the Terrace Café looks out over the atrium from the upper level. You can access an audio tour on your mobile device, and docent-led tours are available most days. Check the website for times and themes.

The intersection of art, biography, and history is illustrated here through images of people who have shaped U.S. history. There are prints, paintings, photos, and sculptures of subjects from George Washington to Madonna.

This museum shares the National Historic Landmark building Old Patent Office with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Built between 1836 and 1863 and praised by Walt Whitman as the "noblest of Washington buildings," it is deemed one of the country's best examples of Greek Revival architecture.

America's Presidents gallery, offering insights into the leaders---from George Washington until the present---is one of the most popular exhibitions. In this gallery, you'll see the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Highlights include Gilbert Stuart's 1796 "Landsdowne" portrait of George Washington, Alexander Gardner's "cracked-plate" image of Abraham Lincoln from Lincoln's last formal portrait session before his assassination in 1865, a sculpture of Andrew Jackson on a horse, and political cartoonist Pat Oliphant's sculpture of George H.W. Bush playing horseshoes.

From portraits of World War II generals Eisenhower and Patton to Andy Warhol's Time magazine cover of Michael Jackson, the third-floor gallery, Twentieth-Century Americans, offers a vibrant tour of the people who shaped the country and culture of today. If seeing former first lady Michelle Obama is on your list, get to the gallery early, as this is a sought-after portrait. 

There are free docent-led tours Saturdays and Sundays at noon and 2:30 pm. Check the website to confirm the times. At the Lunder Conservation Center on the third and fourth floors, you can watch conservators at work.

World-class contemporary art dominates the changing shows at this multilevel nonprofit that holds a special place in the New Mexico art scene. Visually compelling collaborations with an international set of museums and artists cross media boundaries, and often explore issues that are not only dear to the hearts and minds of this multicultural, environmentally diverse state, but resonate globally. The installations here are always top-notch, the works displayed are of the highest quality, the ideas—whether expressed in video, prints, sculpture, diodes, or paint—provocative.

One of the most respected local galleries has compiled a must-see collection of contemporary artworks by Simon Gunning, Lin Emery, and Jacqueline Bishop, as well as national names such as glass artist Dale Chihuly and the film director and photographer John Waters.

This gallery—one of the last of its kind inside Strip hotels—was originally curated from Bellagio founder Steve Wynn's private collection. Today, with Wynn long gone, the gallery operates independently, bringing in traveling exhibits from some of the most famous art museums in the world. Shows have featured works by Picasso, Fabergé, and Warhol. The adjacent Perrotin Store offers prints, publications, and artist-designed objects.

Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery is a wonderful spot for finding a postcard, a calendar, or a more serious piece of art. Butcher, a big guy with an even bigger beard, is known for his stunning photography of landscapes and his knowledge of the 'glades; his famed black-and-white images from deep within the Everglades and Big Cypress have been compared to Ansel Adams's portraits of the American West. Out back, Butcher also rents a bungalow ($295 per night, October–April) and a cottage ($350 per night, year-round).  Look into Butcher's private eco and photo swamp tours. After all, "to know the swamp, you have to get into the swamp," he says.

Take in cutting-edge exhibits, featuring both local artists and the work of national and international talent, at this cornerstone of the vibrant Warehouse District. Two theaters present jazz, film, dance, plays, lectures, and experimental and conventional concerts, including a New Orleans music series. Check the website for details. Mr. Wolf Espresso and Books is open for coffee and browsing on the first floor.

In a striking, high-ceilinged space, EVOKE ranks among the more diverse contemporary galleries in town. It veers away from the standard Southwestern focus seen in many Santa Fe galleries and more toward modern pieces that evoke (wink, wink) conversation and personal reflection. Single artist and group exhibitions rotate through the schedule, featuring creatives from around the globe. Intriguing lectures on varied topics also draw crowds.

One of Nashville's best destinations for fine art is the campus of Fisk University, just north of Downtown. Visit the Carl Van Vechten Gallery to see works by Picasso, Cézanne, Renoir, and more. Elsewhere on campus, check out murals by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. For summer visitors, be mindful of limited hours.

The rare books and photography here include works from local artists like Josephine Sacabo and Richard Sexton; luminaries such as E. J. Bellocq, Ansel Adams, and Henri Cartier-Bresson; and contemporary giants, including Annie Leibovitz, Walker Evans, Helmut Newton, and Herman Leonard. Hours vary, so call ahead before visiting.

You could lose yourself for a couple of hours browsing the three floors of light-filled galleries within downtown's imposing 1889 Stewart Building. This community art center buzzes with creative energy, as artists often work on-site. Rotating exhibits showcase the area's considerable diversity of artistic talent, and there's a fantastic gift shop. Be sure to check out the top floor, which preserves many of the building's most striking Victorian architectural elements.

This is a 20,000-square-foot space you must see to believe, as descriptions, or even images, don't really do it justice. It is a permanent and uniquely curated (to say the least) gallery of 14 distinctive, immersive, and interactive installations by 40 local, national, and international artists seeking to create high-impact works in sustainable and creative ways. A sample of exhibits includes Quantum Trampoline, GAZE, VJ Yourself, Diodic Daydream (ball pit), Laser Graffiti, and many more. The space also features an award-winning bar program, public-facing lounge, and a uniquely-curated gift shop, as well as a large patio across from scenic Travis Park. Gallery tickets must be purchased online in advance. The entire experience is self-guided and self-paced, with guests spending an average of 90 minutes in the gallery portion.

This longtime Santa Fe art dealer is a leader in both contemporary and modern art, with a dramatic 14,000-square-foot neo-industrial building across from the farmers' market. You'll also find a dazzling collection of abstract sculptures, photography, and paintings by up-and-coming regional and international talents.

One of the Southwest's premier galleries, Matteucci Galleries exhibits works by California regionalists, members of the early Taos and Santa Fe schools, and masters of American impressionism and modernism. Spanish-colonial furniture, Indian antiquities, and a fantastic sculpture garden are other draws of this well-respected establishment. Visitors can also find jewelry, pottery, and books. The old adobe building that the gallery is in is a beautifully preserved example of Santa Fe–style architecture. Matteucci also owns Morning Star Gallery around the corner at  513 Canyon Road.

Housed in a building that once printed Confederate money, Neema is the city's only gallery space dedicated exclusively to Black artists from the South. The rotating collection of artwork features large-scale prints, jewelry, and ceramics from a range of local and award-winning artists. Classes and workshops are regularly offered.

In September 2019, Pace moved into a new eight-story building at 540 West 25th Street, turning the gallery more into an art center than just a gallery. The impressive roster of talent represented here includes a variety of upper-echelon artists, sculptors, and photographers, such as Richard Avedon, Alexander Calder, Tara Donovan, Chuck Close, Sol LeWitt, and Robert Rauschenberg. Pace has two spaces in Chelsea, including 510 West 25th Street.

With its setting on a quiet residential street and its low-key elegance, the Phillips Collection offers unhurried access to its first-rate collection of masterpieces from the 19th century and later. At the heart of the collection are works by distinguished impressionist and modern artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, and Henri Matisse. A stunning quartet of Mark Rothko works merits its own room. The museum opened in 1921 in the Georgian Revival mansion of collector Duncan Phillips, who wanted to showcase his art in a museum that would stand as a memorial to his father and brother. In the intervening years, the museum expanded, and now includes much more gallery space, a café, a gift shop, and an auditorium.

In an unassuming former bank lies a large multifloor gallery filled with the works of many artists, but the collection's crown jewel is the room filled with the work from dozens of children's book illustrators. Originals by everyone from Maurice Sendak to Mo Willems are featured, as well as a Dr. Seuss area that includes a few sculptures along with his illustrations.

Sculptures, Lowcountry landscapes, and eccentric works by scores of contemporary artists can be found at this large, upscale gallery in Bluffton that’s been a staple of the local art scene for decades.

A stellar roster of artists with an international following (many New Mexico--based) show at this airy gallery that would be right at home on either coast. Its clean lines are perfect for displaying important contemporary pieces from photographers (Natsumi Hayashi, Hiroshi Sugimoto), multimedia artists (Mary Tsiongas, Eric Tillinghast, John Baldessari), metal-work sculptors (Emi Ozawa), and printmakers (Alex Katz, Ed Ruscha), as well as works from global initiatives like ISEA 2012: Machine Wilderness and 2009's LAND/ART New Mexico.

The most avant of the contemporary galleries, this striking, minimalist space is a working studio for Robert Lange and other exceptionally talented young artists. Most of the work has a hyperrealistic style with surreal overtones. This is also home base for the work of lauded, whimsical painter Nathan Durfee and local-scene veteran Fred Jamar.

This impressive gallery displays sculptures by the many artists who cast their work at the nearby foundry, plus quite a few international pieces. The foundry itself is a half mile away at 307 W. Alder St. Foundry tours are available weekdays by reservation.

Set in a dramatic and expansive Victorian redbrick schoolhouse on Canyon Road, Ventana has been at the forefront of Santa Fe's constantly shifting contemporary art scene since the mid-1980s. The gallery represents notable local talents as well as rising artists; the sculpture offerings, as seen both indoors and throughout the lovely gardens, are particularly noteworthy. The gallery has expanded to an additional location at 403 Canyon Road.

More than 200 local artists, including glassblowers, enamel workers, wood-carvers, sculptors, painters, jewelers, and photographers, work and give demonstrations of their craft on a rotating basis within and outside these red tile–roof studio-galleries that were set up for the 1935–36  California Pacific International Exposition in the style of an old Spanish village. The center is a great source for memorable gifts.

Since its founding in 1832, this art gallery has amassed more than 200,000 works from around the world, dating from ancient Egypt to the present day. Highlights include works by Vincent van Gogh, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Winslow Homer, and Thomas Eakins, as well as Etruscan and Greek vases, Chinese ceramics and bronzes, early Italian paintings, and a collection of American decorative arts that is considered one of the world's finest. The gallery's landmark main building is also of note: Opened in 1953, it was renowned architect Louis I. Kahn's first major commission and the first modernist building on the neo-Gothic Yale campus.

Going strong since 1951 and headquartered in a 1936 adobe abode built by pulp western author and screenwriter Tom Hopkins, this nonprofit organization and gallery hosts exhibitions by local painters, sculptors, and jewelry makers who are inspired by the desert landscape. If you find yourself inspired, sign up for one of the many youth and adult art workshops. There's a small gift shop. 

Many Bushwick galleries showcase edgy and experimental work, but visiting this converted warehouse is an easy way to see a lot of art in one place. The BogArt houses a few galleries, including standouts M. David & Go and the Amos Eno Gallery, plus large loft studios, often with open studio viewing sessions. Gallery hours vary, but the best time to visit is on Friday and weekends, when most places are open.

Artist John Preble's strange vision—sort of a Louisiana version of the Watts Towers of Los Angeles—is an obsessive collection of found objects (combs, old musical instruments, paint-by-number art, and taxidermy experiments gone horribly awry) set in a series of ramshackle buildings, including one covered in mosaic tiles. This museum is odd and entertaining, but not for clutter-phobes. If he's there, ask Preble if you can see his studio, where he creates paintings of green-eyed Creole beauties.