National Gallery of Art Reviews

My significant other and I went here on New Years Eve. We most enjoyed the impressionist paintings and the ambiance of the entire museum. There was a funny group of busts depicting the French parliament. Also a nice Cafe. Wonderful time.

Extraordinary experience. You could easily spend a week there if you’re into art. The works are skillfully presented not only by timeframe but also themewise. Turner, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Holbein and a myriad of other great artists.

Nice enough garden near The National Mall. Has some impressive sculptures of all different types and shapes. Well worth a visit. There are benches to sit and enjoy the view. The silver tree is particularly impressive

Had a lovely trip round the galleries. I want to give a shout out to the lovely team led by Bobby Ahmed in the basement cafe. I had travelled on my own for a weekend in Washington. The airline had mislaid my bag and I had nothing with me including a charger. I was a bit emotional and panicky- the team charged up my phone for me while I had a coffee. And they were so friendly and kind too. Made me feel a lot better.

This huge museum has something for everyone. I saw the "Vermeer's Secrets" exhibit, which featured both original works and forgeries. The analysis in the exhibition was fascinating. I also enjoyed the "Vittore Carpaccio: Master Storyteller of Renaissance Venice" exhibit. You can easily spend several hours here, admiring the various works on exhibit.

I wish we had more time. This is a place to truly take your time. One of my top 3 favorite DC museums along with Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the National Portrait Gallery.

Amazing collection of well known artists; well laid out and the building itself is worth a visit on its own! Lots of space to sit and enjoy the incredible artwork. The collection spans medieval through to modern art. It really is a quite stunning collection. The gelato was a big hit with my teens too!

Excellent museum, even if many of the main floor galleries were closed at our visit. They have a Cafe and coat check on the ground floor. The galleries and artwork are clearly marked and easy to navigate. Photos are allowed.

The National Gallery of Art is a paradise for art lovers, but you don’t have to be an art lover to enjoy it. So much beauty!

The National Gallery is truly an American treasure and is one of the best art museums in the world. It's hard to believe that it's still free - take advantage!

Good paintings and sculptures but no clear info in English. The guards try to help but they are not knowledgeable. We tried to see Botero paintings. Led on a wild goose chase and left 20 mins later without seeing ay.

It is an art gallery of the highest order, located on the north side of the mall.
Absolutely not to be missed for art lovers, it has a very rich collection that covers all European painting from the 400s to Post-Impressionism, with masterpieces by Leonardo, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Monet....
Would deserve many hours of visit
To appreciate, in the spirit of Smithson, is the free admission that allows everyone to enjoy

As far as the artists you want to see, they're all here. Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Dali, Pollock, Warhol, from the old masters to the modern, they're all here. The collection is as high end as high end gets. What really makes the experience however, is the lack of crowds.

See the photo attached to this review for contrast. On the left is da Vinci's Ginevra de Benci, as seen at the National Gallery of Art during my September weekday visit. This is the only da Vinci painting on public display in the Americas, and is on most anyone's short list of da Vinci's best. You can walk right up, examine it closely and by yourself. On the right is the Mona Lisa, as seen at the Louvre. Needless to say, it's a very different experience, with much, much better viewing opportunities at the National Gallery of Art.

The lack of crowds combined with the high end collections of "names you know" makes this experience nearly unbeatable. And if that wasn't enough, it's all free....

It’s a nice small modern sculpture garden with a very nice picturesque fountain in the center of it. Some of the sculptures you walk past them and you’re trying to figure out what they are but modern sculptures are not necessarily in my cup of tea so it was more just nice walking around and being outside

Impressive! What a collection, you need a whole day to enjoy it if not two.
We spent several hours and we only covered a small portion. The building itself is gorgeous, the east wind is also beautiful in it’s modernity.
The collection is insane, they have like 10 of each painter! Collection that’s truly reflective of the wealth in the United States.
Definitely, the number one feature in all of DC.

It was very nice to escape to DC to see the museums with my family over the weekend. We loved the National Gallery of Art because it had a great mix of European, American, and Modern artwork.

On our first visit without kids, we explored at a leisurely pace and found old favorites and new wonders in every room. A coffee and gelato next to the waterfall provided just the refreshment we needed for the second half of our day. This is truly a treasure trove that everyone should visit!

Great museum with lots of different art. Unlucky for us that many of the rooms were closed at the time of our visit.

Strolling through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden on a beautiful spring day is a pure delight, both looking at the art and the botany. Ahhh...

We took family pictures in the garden/water fountain. Beautiful location.
We found parking with ease on a Saturday afternoon. The museum was closed and had renovations on the outside of the building.

This was not our first time here — just feels like it because it is amazing! The collection is varied — huge Degas collection. But most artist are well represented. I specially love the modern art wing — one of the best in the whole world in my humble opinion. The space itself is splendid — I love just walking around and taking in all the architectural details. Give yourself some time to truly enjoy this outing.

I've visited many of the great European art museums but this ranks right at the top. What astounded me was the number of masters' paintings the Gallery contains; for each artist they had multiple works. In Europe they may only have two of three pieces on display per artist.

The artwork is well laid out and the rooms not cluttered with pieces. The actual building itself is beautiful too.

They could do with more work by 20th century artists such as Miro and Picasso but Rothko gets good coverage.

I great place to spend a few hours.

One of my favorite places in DC. The rotunda is simply gorgeous. Teens were taking lots of photos for instagram there. The impressionist gallery is amazing. Staff were helpful and friendly.

I was blown away by the depth and breadth of the collection! I've been to DC 4 times now and I wish I would have discovered this place sooner! It's truly amazing. Even the building itself is a work of art.

The museum has 2 buildings. The West building is the main attraction. I move through museums very quickly and I spent more than 2.5 hours here just to see the highlights! To see everything would take at least 1 full day. Downloading the app really helped me navigate the museum (much more so than the paper map). All of the rooms/collections can be maze-like.

Like the Smithsonian museums, the NGA is free. They have a decent cafe in the underground tunnel that connects the East and West buildings. That maybe the best place to eat on the National Mall (except for Mitisam Cafe).

The East building is much smaller and has a focus on Modern Art. I thought they'd have more Warhol, but they had good pieces from Jackson Pollock and Picasso. I spent about an hour here and saw it all (moving quickly).

Also be sure to leave some time to tour the sculpture garden - it's very pretty.

If you like art, check out the NGA - its a special place!

Permanent exhibits are great, but don't miss the special exhibits (check with information desk). Pricy, but stop at Cascades for lunch.

This museum is phenomenal! It was so nice to be able to get up close and personal with the art. It was fascinating to see the different brush strokes of the artists. This was one of my favorite places in DC!

One of my go-to spots during a rainy day. I visited it a couple months and was impressed by the vast collection. It can get a little crowded with tourist but still a great place to walk around and see the different paintings. You can spend hours here but even going for just 1hr you will not regret it.

Great (free) way to spend a day in D.C., especially if it is raining! So much to see, make sure you give yourself enough time to take in as many exhibits as possible.

The modern art building can be skipped, but the main building has a lot to see. Famous paintings all over the place. Worth seeing!

Although some of the permanent exhibits, such as the Calder mobile, are under renovaiton, the National Gallery remains a place to appreciate the history and evolution of art. Special exhibitions can be a little crowded at times, but they are generally very well curated and worth the extra time.

We enjoyed the Butterfly Exhibit, learned alot about the species. Walking through the hallways we encountered Portraits from the early 1700's, Georgia O'Keefe was my favorite to gaze at. Taking photos with the Civil Rights Famous Slogan "I Am A Man,". I enjoy visiting this location.

If you love art, this is the place to go. They have an incredible collection, especially of paintings from medieval through Impressionism. The newer wing has modern art but we didn’t bother because we’re not found. We did take a break for about 45 minutes for lunch in the cafeteria but other than that we spent the rest of the time, five hours, just enjoying the art. We’ve been a number of times but this definitely had by far the fewest people we’ve ever seen there. We went on a Sunday at 10 AM the second weekend in February so while it was cold outside, we got amazing parking for free (we could literally see our car from the main entrance on the street), We never had to jostle to try to see paintings, and there was hardly anyone in the cafeteria. I don’t know how much of that was also due to Covid but we would definitely brave the cold and come back again this time of year just to avoid crowds and get rockstar, free parking. The cafeteria had far fewer offerings than a few years ago, again probably due to Covid and reduced numbers, and you need to show proof of vaccination in order to eat inside. The food isn’t great and it’s expensive for what it is, but it’s not worth the time it would take to leave and find a restaurant and then come back so it makes more sense to eat there. Next time I will definitely bring my own bottle of water (which they say you can have on you as long as it is in a pocket or in a bag) to avoid paying four dollars for a bottle of water, plus some sort of snack.

America s a country of marvelous diversity, from the antebellum South to Pop Art. The collection range from Byzantium to Contemporary art, which has gained a strong following in recent years. The Gallery also has international exhibitions, which are often Quixotic. It's interesting to follow the progression of American art, from the colonial era to today. Some of the paintings have become national icons that are instantly recognizable. The Gallery is always open, and always free.

The east wing is amazing, stunning. The building is a work of art in itself and worth visiting even if you're not interested in art, from the entrance to the tunnel and the lighting to the water and stone sculptures which are part of the building. The collection isn't large but they have some good pictures and sculptures, and exhibitions.

Really wonderful museum, art gallery to visit with taste and calm, offers an artistic panorama of enormous thickness.
Both the east and west tunnels are important.
Well-kept and with the possibility of dining inside.
Careful services.

The national gallery has plenty of interesting information and exhibits of American and world history, art and culture.

An astonishing museum with an incredible collection. There were temporary exhibits with the photos of Dorothea Lange and another about the Age of American Imperialism. Both were wonderful and informative.

One of the best art depositories in America. Absolutely free. See outstanding special curations. But their permanent collection is amazing. Some of the best French and American Impressionists work from a number of different collections. It also houses the old Corcoran collection. And the only Leonardo in the U.S. You might even have to return a 2nd and 3rd day to see it all.

A five on all levels. No question.
There are many classic artists and pictures within the many rooms of the museum.

The East museum is contemporary art which is also very interesting

The Nation Gallery of Art offers something for every art lover and interesting activities for Children

Nice place, imposing building, but the collection on display seemed to be lacking in comparison to other museums of international stature that I have visited (Met in NY, Louvre and Musee D'Orsay in Paris and others. I would expect the US "National Gallery of Art" to be on a par, or even close to them, and it is not. Nevertheless, a nice museum and worth several hours (especially because it is free).

PROS
* Amazing world class museum
* Outstanding priceless historical art
* Breathtaking display of paintings
* Impressive display of impressionist paintings, especially Claude Monet, and his associates and friends, in galleries 80 and 85 and also some others
* Paintings by such masters as Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, Pissarro, Degas and Van Gogh- see my many “helpful” photos
* Incredible collection of other paintings from 1700/1800/early 1900
* An entire wing of this magnificent museum is dedicated to medieval religious paintings and sculptures from 800 to 900 years ago (see my “helpful” photos)
* Fantastic display of portraits of our first presidents (those galleries were closed to the public at the time)
* Majestic regal stately iconic classical structure with dome
* Wonderful pleasant open and welcoming hallways, walkways and galleries
* Very friendly, interested and helpful staff
* Free cloak room to check stuff
* Two open entrances- from the side of our National Mall and also from Constitution Avenue
* Easy pleasant security screening on entry

CONS
* Some of the galleries were closed for renovation, so therefore I did not see and could not enjoy on this visit the presidential portraits, the massive full body portrait of Napoleon and the four paintings of the Voyage of Life on the boat by Thomas Cole from 1840.
* It can get crowded in the more popular galleries (as in my 80 and 85).

“I VISITED THIS PLACE”…
… because I love this museum and I’ve been coming here whenever
i get the chance, and that’s since the mid-1970s.

I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this recent visit, although it was a bit more crowded than I would have liked

ADVICES
* Of course you need to go
* Please enjoy my many attached photos

Beautiful museum with so much to see. Only the West Building is open right now, and we still spent a couple hours admiring the sculptures and colonial furniture just on the ground floor. You can easily spend a day here when it's fully open.

Entry is free, you just need to sign up for your ticket(s) online in advance.

Probably the best experience in a USA attraction. Not only the collection is awesome but the staff is great and makes you feel welcome, even the security! You can can see the personnel are well trained and extremely polite and helpful.
The structure is fantastic. The Beautiful building, choices of restaurant, free cloackroom.
Besides that, there is a lot of guided tours ( free) all over the day. The entrance is free. Who can ask for more?
Even though I had been there before, I visited the museum 3 times in my last trip and would have visited more if I had time.
This institution is an example of how to treat customers.

The first day I visited the Gallery, I follow with the App the Italian collection! The Second day I dedicated the visit to the French; deep in the impressionniste collection. The third day I was in the Dutch and Britain rooms. With the help of a very good WiFi and the Gallery App I took an excellent course on the history of Art.

This is one of the best art galleries in the world with an extensive and eclectic collection covering many centuries of art including some of the most famous paintings ever created. If I lived in DC, I’d pop in daily but as a tourist, I was only able to spend a day there which wasn’t enough to take it all in. Allow a lot of time and maybe plan your route in advance so you can prioritise the galleries you definitely don’t want to miss

Found this beautiful sculpture garden when we left the Hirshhorn Museum. I love art installations. The house in the photo looked like it fell out of a giant coloring book.

I've never had a full afternoon to spend here, but someday I hope to have the chance because there is so much to see and enjoy. This may be the best museum in the Smithsonian.

I feel so fortunate to have visited this art museum. I actually went twice - once for the west building and its traditional master piece artworks (including some great Impressionist works) and once to view the east building and its more contemporary works. The buildings are well-planned, the flow is very good to navigate. And. both times I had room, even in front of famous works, to savor and ponder. All this for free - I highly recommend a visit.

Enjoyed another fantastic visit to the Gallery after not visiting for 20 years. It was everything I remembered. This museum ranks among the best I have visited worldwide. The galleries are well organized and easily identified. The free maps were useful in guiding me through the galleries. My biggest disappointment was that a significant part of the museum was closed due to renovation. That being said, my favorite area was open—the American artist displays. My visit brought back many happy memories of other visits.

This is a wonderful gallery in all respects. Not only is the building itself beautiful, but the diverse collection of paintings and sculptures are a true joy to explore (see attached photos). As someone who is used to having to pay to enter museums back home, I was truly amazed that I could visit this gallery for free. I was so impressed I plan to come back again during my stay in Washington.

I know the security staff are doing their job keeping visitors safe but they could be a bit more polite and less dogmatic and power trippy.

We recently visited this museum in a quick trip to Washington, DC to see the Sargent &in Spain exhibition and the Vermeer exhibition. Always a great place to visit. Enjoyed both buildings. The Calder exhibit in the east building (top floor) is really neat.
This museum is very nice.

The National Gallery has a superb collection, but a big section is now closed. Where the excellent Italian Renaissance collection is usually housed, there are huge blocked off doors. Some of those paintings, notably the daVinci, the Raphael madonna, and a few others, are scattered around in other spaces (including downstairs) but the context of the really good collection is lost. The Dutch paintings are great, and most seem to be on view, including three of the Vermeers. Pay special attention to the "School of Rembrandt" painting of the small boy with the broom. It is one of those canvasses that got downgraded in the great Rembrandt Re-shuffle, but for my money, it's as good as anything Rembrandt painted. The possible attribution to Fabritius has merit, in the sense that it has the same level of charm as The Goldfinch in The Hague. Also try to find the gem of a portrait by Michael Sittow of Diego de Guevara. He's somewhat obscure, but finding really good paintings by relatively obscure artists is what makes museums fun.

The East Building does not appear to have a separate spot on TA so I'll mention it here. It's the Modern Art collection, so don't be surprised by the very modern architecture and atrium space, which is overseen by a gloriously powerful Motherwell elegy. There is room for major sculpture, including the Andy Goldsworthy stonework that occupies space both within and outside of the building. However, the openness of the atrium space means there is limited wall space for pictures. The collection on view in December 2023 is fine, with some excellent early Picassos and a fine fauve collection, but it's only a few rooms. The highlight for now is a startling show of Mark Rothko's Works on Paper. There are a number of sets of works, some from before he developed his signature style, and many from the later years of his life when a Rothko was a Rothko. Fascinating detail on technique to go with scores of smaller, but very fine "stacked squares."

Be prepared to walk up a lot of steps and across inside breezeways as you negotiate the grand space in this striking museum. Given how terrible the Hirschorn is, it's nice that they seem to be getting this one right. The focus on politically correct artists is not overwhelming, so most of the art is good to look at.

We went more than once to see if our first and second visits were a fluke. Directions are poor. The coat check staff are efficient and friendly. But, the rest of the staff, e.g., security and gallery staff are rude, disrespectful, and unaware of EDI practices. Don’t waste your time here, as there are so many other places to see in Washington DC with friendlier staff.

This museum features painting and sculpture from "the masters" on up to modern art.

We very much enjoyed the displays but also appreciated the quiet space from the hustle and bustle. In fact we 'found' a lounge area where some in our party took a short snooze and others were able to charge their phones.

The day I visited the National Gallery of Art was the first good day of weather on my trip. To be honest I desperately needed the loo, and entered the gallery to use their facilities.
Had the weather been inclement, I would have stayed inside for hours.
The few exhibits I saw were world class, so well worth a visit.

By far the best art gallery I’ve ever been to in U.S.

I think anyone touring the East coast must check out a few museums in the DC area with National Gallery of Art topping the list.

Unbelievable experience a must go for anyone in Washington DC. My favorite piece of art was The DaVinci. They had a Caravaggio but I had my kids with me so I could not see it

This is undoubtedly the best museum in Washington DC. The art is magnificent and beautifully presented. The building is generously sized and well suited for large crowds. Once you're in, there's plenty of room for everyone; and there's comfortable seating in each room. The staff is very professional and helpful. In addition to the amazing and vast art collection, there's also a large first rate collection of American antique furniture. We went to DC with the intent of spending much of our museum time at the Smithsonian Museums, but they were all terribly disappointing (with the possible exception of Natural History, which was just OK). If you're looking for a memorable museum experience, the National Gallery of Art is a must. And it's worth a full two days if you have the time.

This museum is not as well heralded as the Smithsonian museums but it is a marvel of artworks by impressionists in galleries that are wonderfully uncrowded even on a Sunday afternoon Memorial Day weekend. The beautiful building is a series of sculptures leading to intimate galleries of of art from the greats with water features at intersections. It is stunning in its grandeur. The highlight was nestled in a small room: encased in a barrier box: a small painting with its attribution on the back wall. A Leonardo Da Vinci of a woman with a painted back. The woman is beautiful in golden hues . Not one single person other than our family was in the room marveling over this portrait, the Mona Lisa in the Louvre is so crowded you cannot take the time to examinine the painting and notice the details. Here in our nation’s capitol we have a treasure well worth the effort to see it.

The National Outdoor Sculpture Garden in Washington is an artistic oasis in the heart of the city, offering a fascinating collection of contemporary sculptures. Perfect for art lovers and walkers, this garden combines nature and creativity in a peaceful setting. A must visit to soak up the outdoor culture.

I really enjoyed seeing the variety of artwork displayed here. The museum is free and not crowded on a Tuesday. I spent 3 hours and could have easily spent longer.

It was my fourth visit and I had only two hours, so I decided to concentrate on the Impressionism and Post Impressionism this time. I started with the most wonderful collection of paintings of the beginning of the 20th century. There are several brilliant Modigliani’s portraits, two lovely paintings by Marie Laurencin, wonderful “ La coiffure” by Henri Matisse, cubist fantasies of Picasso and George Braque. I really wanted to see these East Building rooms because I didn’t do them justice in November 2018 (ran out of time).

Then I headed back to the Main Floor galleries for the “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment” exhibit, which was excellent. There were impressionists from the National Gallery own collection as well as some magnificent paintings from Musèe d’Orsay and prominent American art museums as well as from the private collections. Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Renoir, Degas… that’s just a few names to mention… the exhibit displays their cream of the crop works, the best of the best. After this gem of a collection I decided to continue with the Impressionists and revisited the permanent collection, where superb Van Gogh, Gauguin (think his self portrait!), Toulouse-Lautrec and more of my all time favorites were waiting for me. Well, I lost track of time and at 5pm was politely asked to depart.😊

East Wing and West Wing never disappoint. Connected underground for bad weather. Always something to see. Child friendly

DC is museum paradise, and the National Gallery of Art is a gem among even the other great museums the city has to offer. The museum has a large enough collection that it needs two buildings to house it (the West Building and the East Building) that are connected at the concourse level (or you can head outside to walk between them). In the East Building is an incredible collection of modern and contemporary art, a terrace, and space for special exhibitions. Among the artists represented in the modern and contemporary art? Calder, Hopper, Gorky, von Jawlensky, Picasso, Ernst...! Then in the West Building? An amazing collection of American and European art (for an art museum showcasing art from other societies, cultures, countries, you'll have to go to one of DC's other museums): Italian, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, English, and American art. This building had some remarkable pieces by Goya, Ingres, Whistler, Homer, Van Gogh, Redon, and more. This building also has a gorgeous rotunda and "garden courts." Both buildings are lovely. There are several gift shop areas as well as areas to grab a bite if you're in the museum over a mealtime. That DC has museums of this quality that are free blows my mind every time I visit. This is an excellent museum. Definitely check it out if you're visiting DC.

From the galleries that I've visited this was the I've visited this was the one with the most vast and mind blowing collection

A beautiful collection of impressionist works. Enjoyed a nice lunch in the cafe. The east wing collection of modern and contemporary works is good… as is the building.

A huge museum of art ranging so many different styles and periods. You could spend hours here! It's amazing that the museum is free!

The National Gallery of Art offers a comprehensive collection of art in many diverse styles and genres. One of the exhibits I saw was "Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper". Although some may look simple, they are actually quite complex. In addition to many painting by Rothko, the actual easel from Rothko's studio, ca, 1964, is on display. You can see where he hung his paintings while working on them.

I also enjoyed a temporary exhibit of Contemporary Art by Native Americans. John Hitchcock grew up on Comanche tribal lands next to a military base. His artwork "Impact vs. Influence" explores the relationship between the two. I loved the intricate beadwork on the boots by Jamie Okuma. "Peep" honors the abandoned California scrub jay called "Peep" that was found when the artist was 7 and stayed part of the family for 26 years.

Another exhibit featured the photographs of Dorothea Lange. One of her most iconic photographs was "Human Erosion in California", better known as "Migrant Mother" .
This 1936 photo depicts a mother and her three children at a migrant labor camp and captures the despair of many during the Great Depression.

There is much to enjoy at this museum, including an outdoor sculpture garden.

Thoroughly enjoyed looking at the beautiful paintings in this art gallery. There is a very relaxing atmosphere within. The architecture in the main section is beautiful and this adds to the calm feeling.

Downstairs there is a very nice shop with varied items in price from silk scarves to pencils. Bought a beautiful notebook and there are some nice ideas for presents. The restaurant is also downstairs next to the shop. There is a good variety of dietary dishes for all tastes although a little expensive. The restaurant has plenty of tables and seating.

Entry is free to this art gallery and it is certainly worth a look around.

This is a digestible, easy to tour museum. The layout is simple, and both buildings have interesting long-term exhibits and interesting rotating exhibits. It can be a child friendly space as long as you set boundaries for your child and respect the artwork. It is an excellent DC to-do both on a rainy or sunny day!

This is superb! It had been over 20 years since I visited. I’d forgotten what a huge collection of Impressionist paintings (including more than a dozen Monets) are in the collection plus masters including Rembrandts and a Leonardo DaVinci portrait…Go and enjoy the free Gallery ap too that helps orient you and gets you to your desired galleries. Check it out and read some of the text on artwork in the days before you go. The Gallery is open and free!!

Walk through or stay all day, there is somethign to interest all the family and quiet spaces for reflection and wonder. Free opportunities to see amazing art should never be passed up!

A very interesting collection of art from the great masters like Renoir to American masters like Pollock and Warhol

The outside roof space has an interesting collection of blue chicken and numbers but a lovely quiet space

The National Gallery is a partially federally funded museum, so while it isn't as large as the Art Institute in Chicago or the Met in New York, it does have some level of prestigious works due to its funding sources and it is also fairly large.

One point to make note of: the gallery is entirely focused on Western (European and American Art) but given that context, the collection it does have is rather massive. I would recommend skipping the East Building if you're in a pinch. The Sculpture Garden was closed due to air quality on the day I visited so I don't have much to say there. The West Building is where most of the notable paintings are found and the names are notable: da Vinci (albeit just one work), Rembrandt, Vermeer, among others.

It's not the largest collection, but absolutely worth visiting for fans of Western and Renaissance era art.

I can't say enough about how wonderful this museum is.

We arrived around 10 am on a Thursday in January and it wasn’t busy. The cafe was peaceful, upscale vibe in a nice surrounding. I had avocado toast that was excellent and husband had a cranberry muffin that he said was good. Interesting menu - there was also Chicken Curry Toast that I might have tried had I been dining there for lunch. The coffee was excellent — Lavazza. The black tea was Tazo Awake. Service was friendly and quick. It was a nice peaceful start to our visit of this amazing museum.

I swooned through the Impressionists galleries - my favorite. The orchids were a delightful surprise. The whole thing was a treat for the soul. At least that’s how art museums feel to me and this one delivered on all levels :-). Also enjoyed the nearby sculpture garden.

I guess it is becaused are is not so popular, but this was one of my favorite visits to a museum. It is a pleasure to see some of the old masters' works in an unrushed and auite environment. I highly recommend it.

the Fabulous National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is worth a visit in any season, i've been there in the summer with the fountain in full display and all the flowering plants and trees in full bloom. I've been there in the winter to go skating and watch all the other skaters, it's always worth a visit, Plus there's the garden cafe to grab some lunch, in spring and summer there's jazz musica on Friday nights. this garden is nice anytime, plus the art work is excellent.

This place has such much to see, for the art lover is a must see. The east and west wings offer two different perspective of art. One wing is modern art and another wing is newer and extravagant. The different art is interesting to see through the museum. The east wing with the rooftop is must do specially check out the huge rooster.

The NGA is one of the greatest gifts any organization gives in this country. In the world!! The staff, art, architectural spaces are truly beyond description. A lot of folks think this is a Smithsonian museum but it is not! And yet it's all free. Thank you thank you thank you.

Its stunning collection spans centuries and continents, showcasing masterpieces from renowned artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet. The museum's elegant architecture and peaceful atmosphere provide the perfect setting for appreciating these timeless works of art. Whether you're a seasoned art lover or just curious, the National Gallery of Art offers an unforgettable cultural experience.

Huge, amazing museum with an overwhelming collection of art from all periods, from all around the world. Being free entry, it is even better and connected to the modern art section, this is a must even if you do not like art: at least take 2 hrs to wander around and soak yourself in art. The building itself is beautiful from the inside. You could easily spend the whole day here.

I have been fortunate to have visited many countries over the years and the National Gallery ranks at the top of art museums. It was not very crowded at the peak of the tourist season at Christmas. Easy to navigate and the staff was helpful. We spent the entire day and never even had the chance to check out the East Wing. Great Impressionism and American Art collections. The only negative is only a couple of entrances so it may be a walk, albeit a pleasant one, to the entrance. Free admission.

Very pleasant experience. Not crowded at all, you can find true art jewels like paintings by Monet, Rubens, Raphael, Titian, etc. Highly recommend for families

The National Gallery of Art as a title can be misleading. There are two large buildings across Fourth Street NW from each other, connected underground by a moving walkway. One can also walk on a regular floor to access them as well, and you can cross Fourth St. NW at ground level too between the two buildings, but underground is the easiest way to see them both.
The East Building is dedicated to "modern art." The West Building is dedicated to all the other types of art.
But...in Washington D.C. itself, there are many other art galleries. There are many within walking distance from these two, and further away is a portrait gallery. One within walking distance is dedicated to Asian art, another holds a lot of Whistler artwork, and there are more, so if art museums are your thing, go to Google Maps and type in "Washington D.C. art museums" to see them all at once. Details for them can be found there, as well as here at Trip Advisor.
As far as the East & West buildings go, plan on taking your time. They have massive collections, on multiple floors for each separate building. Downstairs in the West building is an excellent cafeteria style location with ample seating. The food is exceptional, especially for what it is. Prices are reasonable too. Selection is quite varied. If you are hungry and are here, don't pass it up! There is also a limited cafe on the third floor of the East building, near the restrooms.
Next to the cafeteria in the West building, is a gift shop, also with a good selection.
As for the two museums themselves, be prepared to see things you've only seen in books before. The only two museums I've seen in the U.S. that can rival them are the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Oh, and parking sucks in D.C. But you probably already know that. There is no convenient parking anywhere near anything of note in Washington D.C. I wish they would take a clue from the Canadian capital. You park under their art museum, which is also impressive in its own right. Parking garages are located around D.C., blocks from the Mall, and parking along the streets there is limited to three hours at a stretch, assuming you can find a spot. I parked nearby off Second Street NW. Expensive ($26) but worth it since it was for all day.

This is a wonderful place to spend some time decompressi g and allowing the art to transport you to another place and time.

Endless fabulous art or all eras. Wonderful gift shops too. DON'T miss the IM Pei-designed underground walkway between the East and West wings.

What an amazing museum to explore. It’s massive and I would recommend visiting more than one day. Nice cafe and gift shop. Be sure you know where you’re exiting if getting an uber when you leave.

One of the world's great collections of art, from Renaissance to 21st Century modern. Spaces for study and reflection, and cafes for refreshements. Docents and education events are available.

I go once every 6 months. The last time I took my niece and I think I was able to transmit the same love that I feel for this beautiful museum

The museum is absolutely filled with the must beautiful paintings in the world. They are exquisite and we are blessed to have such a Gallery to visit. The National Gallery of Art is filled with beautiful paintings of the masters. The paintings are displayed in such a tasteful and elegant way. We really enjoyed our visit. The Gallery is senior friendly as they offer seating almost everywhere you walk. The elevators are available if stairs aren’t
an option. Restrooms are ready readily available. The floor is easy to walk on. However you still should wear comfortable shoes because you must walk quite a lot to see the total museum.

Listen, I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge lover of art galleries. There are only so many renditions of Madonna and Child you can see before they all look the same. However. We came here at the request of my 18yo, and I certainly couldn’t say no! He came with no prior research, saying, “I just want to see some art,” and we simply started walking room to room, no guided tour and not even really using the map. He absolutely loved it. I was impressed by the building itself with its impressive marble columns (and exceptionally well kept bathrooms!) It was not terribly crowded so we were able to go at a leisurely pace and never had difficulty getting close enough to read the placards that go with the art, a problem I’ve had elsewhere. There are lots of benches and couches available to take a load off for a minute, which is much appreciated after spending several days on our feet! The security guards at the entry were incredibly nice and the young ladies working the check room were very kind and helpful. All staff we encountered were wonderful, and I think that’s especially impressive for a museum that does not charge admission. This is a must-visit. Thank you, NGA, for an excellent experience!

I could have spent a week in here and been very happy. Viewing the masters is my absolute happy place! I loved this museum. Would happily return to visit again.

Beautiful museum with a must-see collection. I've been to most museums in DC and this is my favorite. There's so much to see, so give yourself time.

I visited the National Gallery of Art in August 2021. I went to the West Building but not the East Building. I focused on the Main Floor which has 90 galleries (rooms). I obtained a map from the information desk. The collection of paintings and art is fantastic with paintings by Italian, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, French, English, American artists. There was a rich collection of Renaissance art and decent collection of Impressionists. There were paintings by Botticelli, Veronese, Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, Goya and many more. I also enjoyed seeing 5 presidential portraits (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe). I also liked the courtyards. I spent two hours here and I could have spent more. It was not overly crowded compared to the Smithsonian museums.

This beautiful gallery is connected via underground lighted moving walkway to the art gallery East. This building is very spacious modern gallery filled with beautiful modern art. Robert Longo charcoal drawings are definitely a must! I believed that I was looking at black and white photographs and yet upon close inspection I have realized that these very very detailed drawings. Unbelievable!

This is a beautiful museum! Lots of art on display and many different rooms/themes. My only complaint is that there is no real path or guide you should follow since all of the rooms lead into one another, so it is easy to skip a room or lose track of what you have already seen. Not a lot of famous pieces, but still worth the trip since it's free and has plenty on display

Although it isn't as expansive the Louvre, it does have a good collection from the last several hundred years. One section was under construction/remodel. My favorite was the furniture section from the early federalist period.

This garden, which is part of the National Gallery of Art, is a very pleasant stopover between visits to the Natural History Museum and the National Archives. Don't miss the amazing Guimard metro station in the heart of Washington.

It is located on the National Mall, at Constitution Avenue. It houses one of the greatest collections of paintings, including many famous works.

Very large and well organized museum. The staff were more than happy to help. Hard to find around because it was so big but didn't do much. Cool to see paintings of the first five presidents!

Left amazed. I am new to this area so I was excited to visit. Finding good parking took us forever but as once as you walk in you are greeted with friendly security and an amazing fountain. It’s peaceful and quiet. The map is easy to read and staff is always willing to help. The paintings are beautiful.

Visited, but didn't come close to finishing the whole thing due to limited time. Would like to come back for more. The collection of Degas sculptures, and the works of French impressionists, were breathtaking.

Well worth going - so many priceless artworks. We visited at opening hour (1000) last week - no queues, cant believe all of this is free to public to view.

We took a tour with Ellen Tehoke on October 7th of 2022. She was incredible. She had a great knowledge of the sculptures and made the walking tour fun, engaging and educational. I would highly recommend this tour.

This is a DC gem, designed by the Starchitect IM Pei. New exhibits are on rotation. Their permanent collection has some true masterpieces on display.

I've been coming to the national gallery for decades, since I was a child. My favorite works are the Calder in the modern wing and the Dali Last supper that is in the hallway on the way to the modern wing (but upstairs a level). There are so many amazing and famous works it is hard to not get overwhelmed. Luckily there are ample places to sit if you need a break and between the two buildings there are three cafes (though the food is entirely miss-able). Grab a map and hit up your favorites or just wander your way through and get lost in the beautiful works. Either one is a good tactic. The museum can be busy, but never feels too crowded to get to see the works you want to see. Absolutely worth your time.

As I love arts, I really enjoyed this visit. It has two wings and both with are entertaining. You can go from one wing to another either from outside or indoor ( there’s like a tunnel that connects the two) please see pic.. there’s shop for souvenirs and snack outlet. They also have an interactive drawing area to show your skills which is fun.

Hard to enjoy the art with the guards screaming, and I mean screaming, at the patrons. I'm sure it is a very difficult job, but the unprofessional behavior of the staff requires re-evaluation.

We have visited the National Art Gallery several times over the course of our stay in Balitmore in 2015. The artwork continually amazes us, and we never tire of viewing it. In addition, there is always something new.

Very well organized and many worth seeing things that fit inside these walls in a building with a classic look. Here you can spend anywhere from an hour to a whole day.

A world class art museum - free to all. Cannot be beat! Changing featured displays - and a solid gift store selection of interesting and unique souvenirs.

One of the nation's very greatest art museums, up there with the Met in NYC and the Art Institute of Chicago. Magnificent collections rewarding repeat visits. Architecturally impressive as well.

This is an excellent art museum with many outstanding artists and works of art. Unfortunately much of want we wanted to see was closed for renovation.

Talk about an added attraction, and I don't think many people either both to visit this incredible outdoor gallery...or they don't even know it exists. An amazing display of Henry Moore and Rodin sculptures is what I focused on, and more works by other sculptors as well...I was blown away.
Highly recommend.

It’s beautifully decorated for Christmas. The place is huge so plan your visit or you will be wandering around lost! Don’t miss the exhibit at the Botanic garden and the Capitol Christmas tree! Both are a short walk from the Gallery

Near the National Mall is the National Galery of Art - a huge museum with many fantastic different objects

The Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. are all free and just for that reason would be worth a visit. On this second visit to the city I finally went to the National Gallery of Art, which is a beautiful collection that they have, from Renaissance paintings to a good collection of Turners and other great works. It's worth it!

What a splendid work of art! A 'huge' variety of different forms of art including varied time periods of multiple paintings from each artist and sculptures. There is a West Building and an East Building, a garden/courtyard, a study room, a cafe, a gift shop, and a must-get app to guide you through your journey! Galleries are set up in a maze form, so keep your map handy. Don't be rushed with limited time, prepare to spend the day! A great learning experience.

saw amazing Rennaissance works as well as some most incredible impressionists' art! a great collection, and a really great gift shop!

PROS
* Fantastic tremendous terrific spectacular amazing wonderful art paintings
* Stand before first class world famous masterpieces of different ages and times
* Artworks of untold unbelievable worth and value
* A pleasure to the soul to immerse in exploring the rooms
* Open and breezy structure- plenty of room to wander
* Breathtaking collection- outstanding impressionist paintings, led by Claude Monet
* Tremedous priceless works from 12th th 19th century
* The building is a national treasure
* The place deserves more than five stars
* Location on National Mall facilitates visiting other incredible historical places and museums- all within brief walking distance
* Absolutely positively free- just walk in; no passes required
* Coat closet to check belongings

CONS
* Open daily from 1000-1700

"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
... because a visit for me to D.C. requires first-and-foremost a trip to this amazing amazing repository of man-made beauty in this world!!

... and the first stop for me is always Gallery 85 (and the adjacent ones): to be surrounded by the rapture and bliss and soul-pleasing satisfaction of being engulfed by the creations of Monet and his impressionist colleagues. This visit did not disappoint.

Immediately upon arrival to D.C., I brought Mrs. Place, Sister Place and the 23 year old to this museum and directly to the aforementioned Gallery 85. They enjoyed their visit but did not outwardly seem to share my elation and euphoria.

We also explored that wing of the "Old Building" of 1930- the West Wing by visiting many of the gallery rooms along the east corridor of the building- the one with the famous gallery 85.

AND believe it or not- just as I am secretly writing this review (because Mrs. Place does not know that I am "on" tripadvisor at all)- in she comes (don't worry- I maintained my cover)- she triumphantly enters the room as I cover my typing tracks, and presents me with my post-trip gift: two amazing realisting reprints of the most classic Monet paintings from gallery 85- not just a glass or wood copy, but it has the essence of spashes of painting that are slightly raised from its surface. She said that I can decorate my work place and always be engulfed by Monet paintings!!

You are invited and encouraged to go into the foyer towards the end of the hall- turn right at the plaza and see Thomas Cole's 1840 version of the four stages of life!! I absolutely adore and admire those works and can stand and study many aspects!! Adjacent to that are unbelievable Gilbert Stuart portraits of our first presidents- unbelievable and incredible!! And then there is the gigantic huge masterpiece portriat of Napoleon.

I briefly explored the other side- seeing medieval religious works.

Because this museum is free and accessible, I returned twice, as I visited all the other open museums on our National Mall- what pleasure: walk in one of the massive entrances, stroll to gallery 85 and the adjacent rooms, bask in the glory of the paintings, and depart- all within 20 minutes: unbelievable and unbelievably easy.

TIPS
Go to Gallery 85

PLEASE if you have read and enjoyed this long post, please check that you found it "helpful," and also please see the many "helpful" photos that I am attaching to this review.

My friend and I visited this museum on a very busy weekend in early April 2022. It was quite exceptionally crowded and the facilities were frankly overwhelmed. Also one of the room inspectors was extremely officious calling out at least half a dozen people in five minutes. Quibbles aside, our visit was very fulfilling. The collection is of course enormous and impressive. If you can bear the crowds and be patient, you'll see some of the world's best paintings. Highly recommended.

The building is very beautiful and impressing as many of the museum buildings in this city. A special attraction is the internal waterfall in the middle of the entrée. I liked that a lot, and in itself it was worth the visit to this museum. The art was impressive and had many masterpieces. You must spend at least two hours to give them full credit. This is one of the best, we have visited six, museums in this city and can be highly recommended.

This Museum is a must see..highly recommend anyone visiting Washington to visit this Museum ..the Museum is beautiful and got to see some famous Paintings including Monet and Van Gogh

There is a lot to see here, but the information given out (maps) purposely obfuscates where the great stuff is. Perhaps they want to avoid crowds around popular stuff. No matter! Ask where the Da Vinci is, where the Vermeer's are and the Gilbert Stuart of Washington and then wander around to see the rest of the treasures. But don't miss those!

Too much to see on a single visit, but open, airy and incredibly amazing gallery of art. You will be transformed.

There is a lot of different kinds of art. To go through the whole place takes 2 to 4 hours. Some of the art is very simple. I wish they had more modern art that was not plan.

Beautiful large museum with unique works. Almost impossible to do in 1 day. Has a modern and a classic section. Both definitely worth it. The museum is neat and there are plenty of shops and eateries. Recommended!

Ran into this place an hour before our tickets for air and space nearby. We quickly walked thru and saw such great works of art. Has very good organization by time frame and styles. Beautiful facilities and lots of couches to sit at and look at art for a bit. It was not very crowded which was great compared to other museums (air/space and natural history) that were packed to gills.

This is a beautiful three part museum. There is a sculpture garden surrounding an ice rink. Food truck offerings on Constitution Ave are mediocre. This is a missed opportunity to showcase a curated set. Museum has cafes indoors.

great exhibits, and wide variety of types of art to see. Very accessible and easy to get help. I enjoyed it tremendously.

Great works of art as well as a nice restaurant for lunch. Loads of shade if you want to take a picnic. Good photo ops here. Next door is the Smithsonian National Art Gallery. Worth doing the sculpture garden.

This is one popular park and what basically is bringing in the crowds are all the cool creative art instillations. The park is not big but it has so many sculptures and my favorite was the stainless steel tree which was huge and beautifully created. Another popular sculpture was the Thinking Rabbit which reminded me of Frank from Donnie Darko.

Having just returned from Paris and visits to the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay, my teens and I didn’t expect much from this museum. We were wrong! This museum was almost empty on the June afternoon we visited. You could get up close to works by the masters, while in Paris weeks ago, the museums were overcrowded with visitors. We spent several hours in this museum and only scratched the surface. It was absolutely wonderful and hope we can return someday.

Sculpture Garden is an area with, as the name suggests, very worth seeing sculptures and it is a very nice part of the National Mall.

It's difficult to miss this place when walking from the National Museum of Natural History to the west wing of the National Gallery of Art. It's in between the 2 buildings at the National Mall. Just look for the big round reflecting pool/fountain in the middle of the courtyard, or the ice skating rink depending on the time of season. There were many people sitting on or around the fountain when we visited in the month of June. I think they were dipping their toes in the pool.

I think my favorite is the House I sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein. I know he's better known for his pop art paintings, but his House series of sculptures are actually just as impressive. I didn't even try to snap a picture of it. It would do it no justice. It's the odd illusion seen when walking around it that makes you go hmmm. The funny thing is that the house sculpture is totally one dimensional.

They've also added a few sculptures since the last time I was at the garden. There's a cool looking steel tree that somehow seems to blend in with nature. It's called Graft by an artist named Roxy Paine. The smooth & shiny branches take on a different look depending on where you're standing. The grafted one looks kind of creepy. Like it's getting ready to reach out and grab your shirt.

I also thought it was cool to see a cast iron Paris metro entrance area near the Pavilion Café. You know, like the ones that are all over Paris that lead you to the underground subway system? Apparently, they were all designed by a French architect named Hector Guimard who is famous for Art Nouveau. I would have taken more pictures of them had I known. They were installed at all of the underground entrances during the 1900 Paris World Fair. This particular Métropolitain Entrance is an original one that was removed. Maybe to be repaired? I'm not sure, but it was interesting to read about it. It's located in a perfect spot at the sculpture garden. It's in front of the Pavilion building which is also designed in the same style, and bringing in the beauty of nature much like these entrances.

It's just one of many sculptures that will surprise you when walking through the garden on your way to the gallery.

Amazing art museum awesome artworks like The girl with the Watering can and Daniel in the Lions den and many others. Did not have a ton of time to visit museum but it still made the top of best memories in our Washington trip definitely recommend visiting.

For the art collection, superb 5 stars.
For organization and arrangement, 4.5 stars

For the behavior of security. I will give a negative 5 or lower.

I visited the art gallery on 15th Jan 2023 with 7 people (4 adults, and 3 children). Kids enjoyed the art and were overwhelmed by the variety. They were also interested in reading dates and were impressed with art from the 14th and 15th centuries.

As soon as we rich the Italian section, the Jacket of 10 yr old while walking accidentally touched the pillar on which Ginevra de' Benci is displayed. It is a solid pillar and with his height, there is no way he could have even touched the painting. There were several people in the room watching the painting and several people accidentally touched the pillar. The painting itself is protected by glass.

The security guard (male) at 225 pm standing in the room started shouting at the kid. I asked him to tone down his voice and let us know what happened. He basically said he has a badge and he can do whatever he wants. I was furious over this show of badges for a 10 yr old kid who accidentally passed near the pillar. I told him to calm down and behave properly with tourists. There are international tourists around and it is rude to be shouting at people. He said his grandfather served for the US and no one can tell him how to behave! I hope this person can be removed from dealing with the public and retrained in public relations. If he is so badge happy, let him be on the road to check criminals and serve the country.

Extremely disappointed by the security staff member. I believe the general impression for all the museums is that security staff just keep shouting. Try from security check-in to closing time, it is just a shouting game for these fellows. Please train them to be polite, it will enhance the experience of visitors.

The great restaurants, including Clyde's in Georgetown and Busboys and Poets, in the area and the numbers of museums and other cultural sights makes any trip to the area be a memorable experience.

As sculpture gardens go, it's satisfactory. Frankly, I've seen better sculpture in small towns across the U.S. and Canada. There is a tree made of metal that stands out.
But the best feature of this garden, in my opinion, is the huge fountain with seating all around it, a lot of it shaded. After walking for blocks seeing things in D.C., this place is a nice serene place to relax.

So beautiful - the art and the building. Friendly and helpful staff. Bag check is efficient. cafes offer good food and museum store is great.

It's a beautiful place to spend the day. 2 buildings of Art history. Special exhibit's features Afro America's. There's a nice cafe on the lower level.

I am not a super serious art fan and still found tons of interesting stuff. went here as a request by my husband and the art is separated between modern and classic art based on time period. the one building does kind of meander throughly.

I had forgotten what a terrific collection the NGA has. I did not even make it into the East Wing because I so much enjoyed my 2-day stroll from Byzantine tryptichs to early 20th century French and American art. The displays are thematic within a time period so you can get a nice view of how the Masters and lesser known artists approached similar subjects. And virtually every Master is represented. It's one of the great galleries of the world.

Very beautiful gallery, located in a pretty monument, very charming, I was able to discover a very beautiful exhibition in this pretty gallery

Whatever your taste you will find something you love at this museum. Impressionists, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Sculpture, you name it. Has a café and gift shop. Its free, but can use donations of course. Art is never at top of govt. spending.

Fantastic collection of impressionist. One on the best in the world ! I’ve been to many museums in Europe, no one is as good as NGA.

Even youth large sections were closed it was very much worth the visit. I particularly loved the galleries with Van Gogh, amatisse, Monet and Renoir. There are also some great Titian’s.

In the modern section there is an impressive collection of Picassos. The biggest disappointment was the absence of Georgia O’Keeffe, the entire museum features only three of her works despite owning a large collection. What a big disappointment that was.

The National gallery of Art maintains a very vibrant Sculpture Garden with many famous sculptures ranging from Alexander Calder's horse mobiles to a tree made of stainless steel. The garden is a great well kept horticultural paradise studded with sculptures. Inside the Sculpture Garden, there is a very nice Sculpture Garden Pavilion Café that offers healthy fare and outdoor seating. A large fountain also in the Garden provides seating for people and a gathering place as well as a place to eat your snack or lunch.

My recommendation is that you research the various sculptures at the website for the Sculpture Garden before you go there for you to get the full benefit of the visit. The admission is free and the totally calming environment of art, horticulture, blue sky and the brilliant sun, surrounded by historic museums is hard to beat at the price!!

What an amazing gallery. Of the best museums in America. Easy to spend hours here looking at all the beautiful art. Loved the shop too

What a gift to art lovers! Situated in an extraordinary structure, in itself a work of art, the collections and exhibitions within this museum is remarkable, if not unparalleled. The attention to detail, impeccable maintenance, meticulously curated exhibitions, and service-oriented staff make a visit to the National Gallery of Art an unforgettable highlight. A special word of thanks to Allen Hawkins, one of the very helpful friendly members of staff, who went the extra mile to help me find the Van Gogh works. A huge bonus: No selfie sticks allowed.

My daughter and I enjoyed a stroll through the sculptures late in the day in December. Laughed when we thought about what future generations may think of the giant typewriter eraser...they won't know what it is! Interesting trees....Botanical and sculpted. Something to find every where you looked. Enjoyed the giant metal object having g seen similar in Seattle earlier in the year. A fun place to stroll through or have lunch on a bench.

Art Lovers Unite -- Paris 1874 Exhibit was our reason for our DC trip. And it didn't disappoint -- seeing a lot of the first Impressionists paining exhibit items in one place again. Just here until mid-January. And there is the rest of the standard exhibit.

Huge free museum of paintings. There are actually two museums. A huge classic and a smaller one made by pei dedicated to the 20th century. The two are connected by an underground passage. Obviously all the famous painters are there including the only Vinci present in the Americas and three Vermeers. Plan the day. Excellent restaurant which is a rarity in Washington museums. Only one regret: the museum is organized into dins and legacies which does not make the visit easy.

Overall a Great museum. Regarding the art itself, the museum offers some examples of the very finest, most valuable, most important and most recognizable paintings and sculptures up to the early 20th century. The museum is free and in my opinion all museums in America should be free. With donations suggested. This enables all of every economic status the ability to visit museums and learn about art and culture. The Federal government should enable this for all museums. I did not give this museum an excellent rating despite it receiving TripAdvisor's rating as #2 in best museum to visit in Washington for 2 reasons. The curators did not do a very good job in placing their finest art. A rare Raphael painting is placed on a side wall making it seem insignificant. A magnificent Tintoretto is almost lost by being blocked by a cabinet of less important medallions in front of it! Very tacky. I never saw the Vermeer. Some of the more beautiful Monets and other impressionists were placed in far corners or on walls while lessor artists were shown more prominently. The paint colors were mostly drab and made the average visitor bored easily. Major museums are doing more innovative wall treatments with period patterns and lighting and display features to give the visitor a more exciting experience. This museum seems 20 years behind the times in seeming up to date. Too many rooms with drab green, overly pale blue. Only the American decorative arts rooms with vibrant lemon yellow hit the mark that accentuated and added life to the furniture it highlighted. The curators need to do more. Also there was no signage to draw attention to where to go to see the most important famous works, as the Vermeer. The Louvre does this. Most visitors are not going to research all the great works to see prior to a visit. Again the curators need to do more to add interest and make it easy for visitors to see famous valuable works. The second reason I did not give an outstanding mark is the food concession. It is utter discrimination for this museum to think all visitors earn in excess of $100K salary and shows a clear bias and prejudice by the restaurant offered. The prices are outrageous for a public government sponsored museum to rip off visitors. The type of food offered was not very appetizing = it wanted to appear gourmet. With lunch prices starting at $18 and up plus tip jar, Coca Cola in a can for $4, and expensive dessert items, a family of four could find it very hard to feed children affordably or even provide foods they would even eat! Some of the food was awful in flavoring - we ordered the quiche and salmon plates. Neither would appeal to an average American. The quiche was so tiny (about the size of an old dollar coin!) that I wanted to say is this some kind of joke when the staff served us! The salad was just some greens with no dressing. Almost $20! Horrible although I will give some positive points that the quiche was delicious. I was still hungry though! The salmon plate was a bit more food with disgusting tiny pickles (not sweet but horribly bitter and not even dill), disgusting pickled cauliflower. The salmon was smoked and average along with some slices of egg. Most would not find these menu items enjoyable. And the prices were outrageously expensive as if you were at an upscale restaurant or in New York City. I would encourage you to go elsewhere for lunch 2 blocks away to restaurants along the periphery of the museums. I am shocked the museum system allows such food and chefs to be housed here. The eating area was too small. The fountain statue was a nice touch but the seating was not that comfortable or attractive. Very average. The architecture of the museum is impressive and was well air conditioned. There was sufficient areas to sit despite the crowds of visitors. The special exhibit was up to date in feel and well curated. Much better presentation of the special exhibit than many of the gallery rooms of the main collection. I cannot put this museum in a category that compares with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum but sadly one notch down. Those museums you want to visit over and over again. But if you go to Washington DC and want to see examples of the very best of Degas, Monet, Pissaro and Sisley, Renoir, Gaugain, Raphael, Vermeer and other great masters, it is more than worth it since it is free!

The Gallery has an outstanding collection of European Art from Renaissance masters to Impressionists and beyond. There is also a superb collection of American art. Unusually entry is free and staff at the reception desk are very friendly and knowledgeable. Absolutely unmissable visit in DC.

Lots of lovely, unusual and varied sculptures - very fun to walk through this place. We were here in November, 2023. It's quite close to the mall, free to walk through and has plenty of benches.
Strongly recommended.

Always a favorite spot while visiting DC. Seems a lot of the paintings/landscapes/portraits are missing from previous visits. During out visit in early June, there were lots of portraits from various great artists. Where were the famous and beautiful landscapes hiding? Impressionists' paintings? Nice gift shops with cards and various items from artists on sale. Nice cafeteria on the lower floor with plenty of room. Food prices are very high.

Lovely place -- all of it. If you're looking for a meal, check out the Terrace Cafe in the East Building. Quiet, good ventilation, not busy. Grab-and-go sandwiches, coffee, pastries.

Definitely one of the most beautiful museums I visited, rich in works of art by Italian masters. Here is kept the Portrait of Ginevra de' Benci executed by Leonardo da Vinci, the only work of the great Master exhibited in the Americas.

An outstanding display of art, this gallery is a must visit for those visiting Washington DC. Very well organised, ideally one needs a full day to do justice to this venue

Worth the visit. Variety of types of art: painting, sculpture; the fountain in the middle of the gallery; the atrium with beautiful greenery.

It's huge and packed with pictures you see in art history books. You could spend untold hours here. I recommend an hour or so to soak up the art then move on...unless, of course, you really love pictures. Wear comfortable shoes. Hydrate. It might bore younger children so plan accordingly. Come in by metro or add it to your mall tour.

This is one of the best art museums in the world with an extensive collection. Our visit coincided with a special exhibition of French impressionist art, including paintings lent in from many galleries and private collections worldwide. We arrived at about noon on a Wednesday and we're relieved to find that there was no line to enter the exhibition! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Pro tip: there is a large cafeteria on the ground floor close to the gift shop. You can buy decent quality food at reasonable prices and eat it there.

A little moment of relative freshness amid sculptures by the biggest names of the 20th century. In short, don't hesitate to come and take a look

Recently reopened and we decided to walk through the gardens mostly for a change of scenery and just trying to get out of the house. And it's free, so why not? The Gardens are landscaped beautifully and the fountain is peaceful to sit and watch. It wasn't anything spectacular or amazing, so if you are pressed for time I would skip. But if you are just looking for nice atmosphere and easy walk, then it's fine. Bathrooms were accessible too, which can sometimes be a challenge during covid.

So much to unfold here. The place is outstanding and to think we can step into this world for free. We went late in the afternoon, probably not the best time of day but it worked for our schedule. We got lost in all the rooms. The art calmed the heart and brightened the brain.

We devoured Botticelli, Van Gogh and Hopper. Leonardo da Vinci is my favorite but you can see Giotto, Kerry James Marshall, George Peter Alexader Healey (Portrait of Lincoln is a must) or Mary Cassatt, Cezanne, John Singer Sargent, Rogier van der Weyden, Picasso, Monet, Thomas Cole or sculptures by many but especially Rodin and Bernini. Ancient coins, Religious crosses and busts... And we had the good luck to visit during the Gordon Parks exhibit which will open your eyes to tears and happiness too. Totally thought provoking. And to think we get to see these masterpieces in person. Truly thankful our nation has these magical treasures.

The temperature inside is cool. Bring a sweater or light scarf. Wear shoes you can stand in for hours, although there were a couple of places to sit mostly this is standing only kind of a day. The peace of the place is perfect. Clearly the curators have done a great job with sound proofing and creating spaces to enjoy without feeling crowded. Everyone that works here is polite, professional and helpful. We had a kind woman upon our arrival explain a few things to us and direct us so that we could find what we wanted first.

We ate at the Cascade Cafe. We wanted to eat outside at the Pavillion but it was pretty hot outside and our hunger took over so when we saw a spot inside we took it. We had the Buttery Grilled cheese, Steak and Cheese and Hand crafted burger. All were delicious. I never thought a museum would have such delicious food. The bathrooms were super clean too. I highly recommend going. I am not sure little kids would like this but this depends on the child or children. I think all kids should be exposed to art. Sometimes it is just for 15 minutes.

Art can be very soothing to all ages. Research first before you go by visiting nga.gov Investigate which artists you want to see that way you can pace yourself. We did not do this and were really tired but didn't want to miss the Blue Chicken.

Beautiful sculpture garden with a fountain, part of the National Gallery of Art. Worth taking pictures and walk around

My recent visit to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, was a serene and inspiring escape into beauty. Nestled on the National Mall, this Smithsonian gem offers free admission, making its world-class collection accessible to all. The museum’s neoclassical West Building and modernist East Building create a striking contrast, housing everything from da Vinci’s *Ginevra de’ Benci* to Calder’s mobiles.

The galleries are thoughtfully curated, with highlights like the Impressionist wing, where Monet’s luminous *Water Lilies* captivated me, and the American portrait gallery, which tells intimate stories through brushstrokes. The sculpture garden, with its vibrant seasonal blooms, was a peaceful spot to reflect. Staff member Clara elevated the experience—noticing my interest in Renaissance art, she shared insights about Titian’s techniques, pointing out details I’d missed, making the works feel alive.

Navigation was intuitive, though weekend crowds required patience. The café, while convenient, was pricey for its quality. Still, the museum’s vast collection, stunning architecture, and Clara’s engaging expertise made it unforgettable. At no cost, it’s a cultural treasure for anyone visiting DC. Five stars.

We visited an art museum in Washington DC for once and were amazed at the variety of art on display here. The old building and the rooms are beautifully designed with seating in the "fountain garden" between the rooms. There are 2 buildings. The modern art in the new building is also worth seeing. Large, bright rooms so that the works of art can be shown off to their best advantage. The buildings are connected by a tunnel, where there is also a cafe. We also liked the sculpture garden next to it. We can highly recommend this place. There is no other art museum that doesn't charge admission, so you can visit it briefly or several times.

Top museum. So much art and so many masterpieces in 1 museum. And free too. Not busy. Well worth it! Also great coffee in the cafe at the main entrance!

I loved the domed atrium. What a beatiful oasis with the fountain. This is a huge art museum so plan your visit according to your time, energy and art preferences.

Perfect italiano espresso Lavazza.Bar with perfect service,Also very interesting presentation,entry free od charge

Top notch art and experience. I sat in the gallery on a couch and sketched for an hour.
Clean bathrooms and secure. Beautiful sculptures and art.

Easily accessible on the national mall.

Our top choice of all the attractions on the Mall in DC. We went for the "Impressionist Paris 1874 " exhibition. You could spend days here wandering the galleries. Plus excellent food choices downstairs in the concourse between the East and West Buildings.

Several colleagues and I came here after a work meeting to wander through this glorious art museum and take in the beauty of the artwork. This art museum is so large that we could've spent the entire day here and not see everything. I really liked the Elizabeth Catlett exhibit; she was an immensely prolific artist and yet remains relatively unknown, which is deeply unfortunate. The museum is well-organized and has plenty of benches so we can sit and ponder the art. The staff here are super friendly.

Very good and organized archive, very clean, large galleries, rich sculptures, works from various countries (which I found very enriching), not only of famous artists, polite staff, free entry.

One of the best collections of traditional art there is. I am a huge Rodin fan and they actually had a few pieces I have never seen. They also have the only Davinci in the USA. You can eaasily spend days between the East and West Galleries, entrance is free and open without tickets. (careful, the rules are different for seemingly every venue-- govt for you)

There were a bunch of weird statues of headless kids so that’s kinda cool. The other structures are not too shabby as well, that house was trippy

We finished our day here and having recently been on a tour of Europe specifically Paris found this Sculpture Garden a little disappointing.
To me it feels like they had a piece of outdoor space attached to the Museum of Art and weren’t sure what to do with it so they threw in a few pieces of modern art, a cafe and a beautiful fountain.
The descriptions of the pieces aren’t very in depth. A lot seem to have been donated and in some cases many years ago rather than the Museum seeking out recognisable pieces of modern art in order to present an up to date attractive presentation.

I did take a few photos of the pieces I liked but overall disappointing

The building itself is incredible! Wondering around: seeing great art! Plenty of options to sit and take in all the splendor around you. We loved the museum gift shop!
The Terrrace Cafe had a great view; but the food was underwhelming. The kids picked out muffins and didn’t eat them. I m not sure if was gluten free or something: but they tasted off. Would not eat there again.

A magnificent set of buildings, with an unsurpassed collection of art. There is everything an art lover would want to see and more, miles of the best in the world. Take your time. If you've ever had a favourite painter or work of art, it just might be here!

I loved the exhibits in this museum. I am a big fan of Italian renaissance art and was absolutely in awe to see some of the national treasures they had on display. We saw works by Botticelli, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci, which is the only place that you can see at da Vinci portrait in the United States. We took our four year year-old son, not recommended for small children. It’s a place where you like to sit and reflect and take in the art work that your viewing. I highly recommend visiting this museum if you are in the DC area. It is a treat and a privilege to see such classical masterpieces.

It's finally open, no online appointments needed. Terrific Dutch art galleries with all 4 Vermeers on view again, great collection of Italian masters, excellent impressionist exhibit.

I visited the National Gallery of Art in July 2024. The first thing I did was get a map and plan my visit. I focused on the galleries on the Main Floor. The American paintings galleries and the French impressionist paintings were excellent. Next were paintings by Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck. Finally the Italian renaissance paintings. I had a very good visit to the National Gallery of Art - around 2.5 hours.

Wow…what a wonderful, spacious gallery! You will not be disappointed in the vast range of paintings, sculptures, exhibitions and everything in between…

This is an outstanding art gallery. Although not the largest of museums what they have as representation of European art from the top painters is outstanding. On one wall there are 3 Vermeers.
Admission is free and it is not too crowded. It will definitely be a regular stop every time I am in Washington DC.

A weekday visit is wonderful. Fewer crowds.

Clearly, a national treasure.

We went for one specific exhibit..photography from the 1970’s..and loved it.

Free, open 7 days a week, cafes, restrooms, elevators, shops.

I was a museum greeter/mentor for the Art Institute of Chicago for many years. I will say that the National Gallery in DC is excellent. Half the fun for me of visiting museums is to see what we don't have back in Chicago. The National gallery had rooms of Rembrandt, and Caravaggios, da Vincis, and a great collection of Flemish and Dutch art (my personal favorite genre). The Modern Art section, a recent addition, had great modern art, and the american furniture and art was also lovely.

That you can see all their great art for free is a real treat. Can't wait to check it out again when I go back to DC next year.

Fantastic experience. We booked a tour through trip advisor. The guide was excellent . it was well worth the price. However it was almost 3 hours long and that was very tiring for me. There are however benches to sit on in each room so that helped immensely. We ate at the cafe inside the museum which is convenient and the food is very good. the service is not so great.

The National Gallery of Art is a national treasure. Here you walk past artwork from the masters that you may have glimpsed in an art appreciation class in college, and take in beauty that could not possibly be captured in a photograph. See works from two millennia ago, or art finished by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci himself - it’s all here awaiting your wandering eye. Free tours by knowledgeable docents start regularly and yes, this is one of those museums that you might not make it through in a day - but definitely something not to be missed.

You'll need days to explore this absolutely wonderful museum! There is truly something for everyone.

This is a large museum, with A LOT to see. Try to plan ahead if you can as it does get crowded and time could drag on without a plan. I wish the self-guided audio tour was a little easier to use, directing you on a path / with more specific selection.

We toured the West Building, specifically the French, British, Spanish are from the 19th and 20th centuries. As I said, there is a lot to see, but the Monet and DiVinci pieces were my favorite to see.

There is a food court underground, connecting the West and East buildings. It was quite backed up when we visited and food was just meh. There if you need something, but if you can plan a meal elsewhere, would recommend doing that.

In late November,I was fortunate enough to return to my favorite art museum in the United States.Its collection of Art is huge and multifarious.This review emphasizes its splendid collection of devotional theme paintings from the 13th Century to the 16th Century produced by Italian Painters.
During my return,I admired fine Gothic Period Italian Paintings which employed egg tempera and gold leaf on wood panel.These paintings had gold backgrounds.Isaw outstanding paintings by Master of Saint John The Evangelist")Duccio("Nativity With Saint John The Evangelist")Giovanni Baronzio("Madonna and Child With 5 Angels"),Giotto("Madonna and Christ Child"),Bernardo Daddi("Saint Paul and Group of Worshipers"),,Nardo Di Cione("Madonna and Child With Angels"),Paolo Giovanni Fei("Presentation of Virgin In Temple"),and Agnolo Gaddi("Coronation of Virgin"),among others. Most of these paintings were done,during the Italian Trecento,14th Century.
I also saw awesome early 15th Century paintings which also employed gold leaf and egg tempera on wood panel by Benozzo Gozzoli("Feast of Herod,Beheading of John The Baptist"),Sano Di Pietro("Saint Anthony Distributing Wealth To The Poor")Giovanni Dei Paolo("Adoration of Magi"),and Sassetta,just to cite a few.
I also savored superb 14th and 15th Century Sculpture by Tino Camaino("Madonna and Christ Child With Queen Sancia,Saints,and Angels"),Giovanni Di Balduccio(("Charity"),and Jacop di Quercia("Madonna of Humility"),among others.
From the 15th Century,there were many fine paintings that included landscapes in the background as opposed to gold leaf.There were great paintings by Andrea Da Castagno("David With Head of Goliath"),Pesellino("Crucifixion With Saints Francis and Jerome"),Fra Carnevale("Annunciation"),Luca Signorelli("Crucifixion"),and Vittore Carpaccio("Virgin Reading"),among others.
Their collection of devotional theme Italian Art from the 14th and 15th Century is outstanding and so encyclopedic.

The Gallery has a vast collection, the rooms are numbered to follow a script. Very exclusive parts, worth a visit, especially from the West sector. It is an inclusive space with elevators.

It's a joy to be back in the National Gallery after a long break due to the pandemic. We are older DC locals who visit art museums a few times a year (and in other cities). We are deeply appreciative this one has tours again. (Some DC museums still don't). We took the Italian Renaissance tour two weeks ago and the Discovery Tour today. These tours are fun and informative. The guides (Mary and Mrs. Murphy?) are welcoming, engaging, and clearly skilled at talking to the group. Also, you get a positive refreshment being in a beautiful sanctuary again. A mental health boost as well. You feel you “belong” again to a larger world you’ve been cut off from and to fellow travelers along the art journey.

We ate in the Cascade Café in the East Wing. Food choices were a bit limited but good, nice staff. Tables were filling up with visitors young and old (school groups are back too). For an extrovert, it was uplifting to sit and be part of a bigger, pleasant group around the café, finally.

These museums have so many art objects (in various media) to see and experience. There are many periods, topics, and artists to build more tours on.

After the isolation of the covid period, tours are the antidote. Maybe there are lots of other art lovers like us who much prefer the group tour experience now to a solo “audio” guide? These talks have already inspired me to do a deeper dive into the art. Thank you!

On a beautiful sunny day this would be a really nice place to come and sit for a while with the central water feature. However, there are only a handful of sculptures so it's not worth coming here for just that. They have a restaurant in the garden which appeared to be well patronised.

You'd be much better served going next door to the National Gallery which is excellent and has some great works on display.

An amazing collection of art! I found the map very helpful. I could cross off rooms as I went along. There are so many gallery rooms you may miss some otherwise.

We visited the excellent Paris 1874 Impressionist Moment exhibit. It was fascinating to see the art exhibited in the Salon that year hung with the works of the budding Impressionist movement. The museum was beautifully decorated for the holidays. The Gallery’s permanent French 19th century collection was nearby and we were able to view even more wonderful impressionist paintings, as well as other masterpieces from around the world. This museum is an excellent place to spend a few hours.

This building is even more beautiful on the inside than its exterior lets on!! The Rotunda with its fountain featuring an 18th century statue of Mercury is stunning! The long hallways are beautiful! This was a return visit after some 8 years and our time was limited to 90 minutes on this Saturday afternoon, so we decided to split up so that we could each see our "must-see" works of art. For me, that meant strolling through the 8 galleries of Impressionist art that includes 20 Monet paintings!! So many familiar masterpieces among the galleries...plus new works by familiar names. An Impressionist art lover's dream!! I also wanted to see Conversations: Carrie Mae Weems and The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial for Ms. Weems response to Saint-Gaudens' monumental piece. Interesting and compelling! We used our last 30 minutes together to see works by Sargent, Whistler, and Turner...and the awesome Italian Renaissance works, including the portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci, the only Leonardo da Vinci work held by a U.S. museum. Would have loved to have had more time, but we made the most of our 90 minutes!! Planning ahead was the key! You can search the NGA website to identify whether they hold works by your favorite artists and whether they are on view and in which gallery they are located. The East Building, an architectural treat by I.M. Pei, was closed for renovation. We'll be back!!

Excellent collections. To enjoy, in no hurry. On this occasion a special display of impressionism "Paris 1874". Very good. Also a portrait attributed to Leonardo da Vinci "Geneva of Benci". Highly recommended.

This outdoor sculpture garden only takes a few minutes to walk through and it is absolutely worth it. There are some very cool installations here but my family's favorite was definitely the depth perception house. As you walk past it, the view changes and then there is a point where you can swap the perspective just by thinking about it differently. It is a fantastic large scale optical illusion and my family had fun trying to figure it out.

PROS
* One of the world's most outstanding art galleries
* Incredible amazing outstanding priceless historical art showcasing a breathtaking display of paintings
* "Impressive" display of impressionist paintings, especially Claude Monet, and his associates and friends, in galleries 80 and 85 and also some others
* An entire wing of this magnificent museum is dedicated to medieval religious paintings and sculptures from 800 to 900 years ago
* Incredible collection of medieval and Renaissance works, including the only painting of Leonardo da Vinci that is in North America
* Fantastic collection of other paintings from 1700/1800/early 1900
* Amazing display of portraits of our first eight presidents
* A fantastic and large amount of paintings by such impressionist masters as Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, Pissarro, Degas and Van Gogh
* Majestic regal stately iconic classical structure with dome
* Wonderful pleasant open and welcoming hallways, walkways and galleries
* Free cloak room to check stuff
* At least three entrances- from the side of our National Mall and also from Constitution Avenue and even the side street opposite the National Sculpture garden
* Easy pleasant security screening on entry
* It is free of charge!!

CONS
* Some of the galleries were still closed for renovation
* It can get crowded in the more popular galleries (as in my 80 and 85).

“I VISITED THIS PLACE”…
… even though I had visited in 2019, 2022 and 2023, and despite that I had been here a few dozen times, since I love this museum and I’ve been coming here whenever
i Iget the chance, and that’s since the mid-1970s.

I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this recent visit, and I saw many of my favorites, wuch as the larger-than-life portrait of napoleon, the portraits of our first eight Presidents (most done by Gilbert Stuart) and the 4 paintings of The Stages of Life by Thomas Cole in 1840. I reveled in seeing again the collection of impressionist paintings, even though they had been moved downstairs in anticipation of the upcoming impressionist exhibition commemorating the 1874 event.

For the first time in many years, I also explored the western section of the building and I loved seeing the medieval and renaissance (largely Christian themed) painting, but also the only one Leonardo da Vinci painting in North America (I had seen the Mona Lisa four days prior at the Louvre in Paris).

WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
It is free

WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Absolutely, and I hope to do that sometime between November and January, so as to see the 1874 impressionist exhibition again (I had seen it a week earlier at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris).

ADVICES
* Of course you need to go and see the incredible astonishing world class art

Beautiful museum, wonderful exhibit. Would be nice if they offered an audio guide. Impressed that they have a DaVinci, picture does not do it justice. Love that DC museums are free!

The Museum's volunteer guides added so much to my experience. The two tours I took were so informative, charming and insightful. Each went over the scheduled hour but no one was leaving since they were enjoying our guides enthusiasm. It was a wonderful start to my day in the National.

The National Gallery and associated sculpture garden are always a delight. We made a short visit to see the British Drawings 1700-1900 Exhibit. It was fascinating and nicely laid out. As always the Gallery entrance is so impressive.

We only spent about 2 hours before they closed, and I wish we would have planned for more time here. We never like art museums and rarely plan to go to them, but we had 2 hours to kill anyway. There's SO MUCH to see, you could easily spend half a day walking around and enjoying the variety of pieces. Don't miss the Portrait Museum nearby!

I'll never forget my first visit here at age 19. First, I was astonished by how many great works from European masters were in permanent collection here. Second, the volume of the place was mind blowing. Even though I knew little of art at the time and previously had little interest, I was gobsmacked and spent a great deal more time there than planned.

In the 40 years since then, I've been back a half dozen times and I always find something else amazes me, even within the permanent collection which I've seen before. I will never grow tired of going here, although now, I try to pace myself and focus on just one or two areas rather than try to absorb it all. It's especially nice that it's free so I never feel the need to "get my money's worth."

if you’re interested in art, this is a must stop for you! There is a lot to see I walked around the ground floor and that took me a solid 45 minutes and that wasn’t even looking at everything in detail that was walking and glancing but there’s just so much to see so allow yourself plenty of time to go through the whole thing plus the east Gallery as well.

The collection is stunning. The Rembrandt self portrait, Degas dancing girl sculptures, a Davinci. And so much more. Many pieces donated by Andrew Mellon collection. Mellon is from Pittsburgh (my hometown). Who knew he had such a vast collection! A must visit in DC

The National Gallery of Art is located on Constitution Ave NW, Washington DC. It was established in March, 1937, and was created to display works of art across many different time periods and styles. It contains art from the contemporary period all the way to a few displays from modern, 21st century artists. Not only does it allow for the enrichment of the public within the art field, but it also allows for the display of an array of artists from different backgrounds, ethnicity, and ages to diversify the entire museum. The museum is open from 10 am - 5 pm, and switches exhibits every few months in order to display new art collections.
The museum itself was expansive, with a West and East wing and multiple floors; however, it was easy to navigate since there were many guides and directories along the rooms. The art itself had a wide range of media, including many paintings, but also sculptures and structures that encapsulated a bigger meaning. Additionally, there were also singular pieces throughout hallways and staircases that tied the whole exhibit together well; many of which were made by artists that did not have collections per say, but were still memorably honored within the museum.
Overall, the museum was pleasant to visit as I found it interesting to see how each art piece differed from each other. I also enjoyed reading the messages behind each piece, and oftentimes, the meaning deeply connected to the artist that created it. Furthermore, there was also an entire subsection where you could purchase prints of the arts as well as literature and other historical art related books; I thought it was amusing to see and be able to buy the same art that was displayed, as well as more in-depth literature that explained the context behind famous pieces. There were a few collections that were difficult to find since the entire gallery was quite large. For example, there would be a specific artist listed in the directory, but you would have to navigate between certain areas to reach that specific exhibit.

This museum is perfect for a rainy day. I loved touring this Gallery because there was so much to see and the fountain in the middle with all the flowers brightened my day.

The National Gallery of Art is a museum in Washington DC that displays works of art from many different time periods and styles. It was established in 1937 and has two main buildings, the West Building and the East Building.

The West Building contains art from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, including works by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Vincent van Gogh. There are also sculptures, decorative arts, and a large collection of prints and drawings.

The East Building features modern and contemporary art, with works by artists such as Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, and Jackson Pollock. There are also special exhibitions that rotate throughout the year, showcasing different themes or artists.

One of the most famous works in the National Gallery of Art is the sculpture "David" by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It depicts the biblical hero David at the moment he is about to sling a stone at the giant Goliath.

Visitors to the museum can take guided tours or explore on their own. Admission to the National Gallery of Art is free, although some special exhibitions may have a fee.

Overall, the National Gallery of Art is a wonderful place to learn about art and history, and to appreciate the beauty of human creativity.

We spread our visit over two days and it was still almost impossible to do justice to this museum. They have an amazing permanent collection. The docents are enthusiastic and helpful; the security staff is there for the paycheck (with a few exceptions) spending more time chatting and looking at their cell phones. The West building has two floors; the East building, accessed by a lower level concourse, has maybe four floors to see. There are two very extensive gift shops and two cafes. Make time to see this fabulous museum, maybe spreading your visit over three days with a couple of hours a day.

Was trying to go to Museum of Natural History but line wrapped around the block so decided to try the gallery. So glad we did. It was fabulous!

The National Gallery of Art is like stepping into a wonderland for art lovers! From classic masterpieces to funky modern pieces, they've got it all. The place is basically a time-traveling, culture-hopping adventure. The vibe is chill, and you can totally pretend you're in your own art heist movie. Whether you're an artsy soul or just looking for a cool day out, this gallery is a blast

The museum can be visited in a manageable amount of time and has some exceptional European and American art.

We were impressed with the collection. You will need more than a day to appreciate all that is here.

So much to see! Our first time in DC. We were at the National Gallery of Art for 4 hours and feel like we barely made a dent. Awesome gift shop and the coffee/gelato shop was open. Didn’t have to wear masks. My only complaint is for how pristine the museum was, the bathrooms were gross.

Amazing. Art you see in textbooks, now seeing it in real life. It was awesome seeing these master artists works. It was really cool to see the excitement in my little brother’s face and him stating “I remember seeing this in my book in school” That made my day. Please go and take your time. You need 2 to 3 hours minimum. Plus, no fee to enter.

What started out to be a very pleasant day was completely ruined by the rude and power tripping security guards. After calling them out on their rudeness they lied about us touching them and they started taking photos of us. The senior security guard had no idea how to handle the situation so we decided to leave early due to the aggressive and confrontational nature of the staff. Nowhere else in the world would you have such an experience in a national gallery.

I hadn't realized Washington had a National Gallery of Art. Wow, what a collection they have! Was so thrilled to see Fragonard's A Woman Reading. Some beautiful Turners too as well as marvellous impressionists and post-impressionists. The whole gallery is worth a look. I was also impressed by the space - quite beautiful and very roomy compared to some other major world galleries.
Don't miss the attached Modern Art gallery. What a place with a fantastic collection. Don't miss this!

I was surprised to hear that this is not a Smithsonian Museum as it is free. It has an extraordinary collection of Degas and Rodin sculptures as well as some beautiful impressionist art and American art. I highly recommend this!

I have been to all the major art galleries in the country and this is my favorite. It shows the long history of painting, the development of perspective, the transition to landscapes and ordinary life, the incorporation of emotion, the evolution of colr from impressionism to modern art.
It is great to just wander and be amazed of how collectively humans have learned to paint and evolved our collective styles.

It was worthwhile to get timed tickets for the Degas at the Opera exhibit. It is always astonishing to see so many masterpieces by this artist. You will be blown away! The paintings in different mediums, were focused on the ballerinas rehearsing at the studios, and at the Paris Opera Palais Garnier. Degas captures the many ballet dance positions as well as the dancers as in rehearsal and as they rest and chitchat in groups. My daughter studied ballet at Alvin Ailey in NY. She said Degas captured the exact foot positions, as well as the arm and head placements as they are depicted. The National Gallery assured that all visitors follow required distance measures. The entry of people into the exhibit is controlled. Going thru the galleries is simply amazing and jaw-dropping. Afterwards, we stopped by the concourse cafe to relax and recapture such an fulfilling afternoon.

This is a museum I keep returning to, as I return to similar museums in London, Toronto, San Francisco, Paris etc Why? Due to the high number of unique exhibits and the amazing layout, great architecture which is also beautiful to look at:

1. Free to access, I recommend to plan it in advance if you know what kind of art you like - maps on their site, as well as here
2. Paintings by Monet, Rodin, van Gogh, Gaugain etc - some so beautifully mastered but make sure you check of the Spanish, Italian, Flemish area
3. Some amazing paintings and sculptures of the much discussed di Medici family members - very powerful and intimidating
4. Their terrace is also a great location to simply sit down and relax - besides other vegetation packed area. I always loved this

Most surely we will be back in the future

The museum itself if a piece of art! The Impressionist collection is quite outstanding. Wish we had more time there!

I absolutely loved it. Rather than try to see everything at once. I visited 2 days in the row. I was really able to take my time and appreciate the incredible collection. Easy to get there on the metro and lots of places to eat. A true treasure

The National Gallery of Art is one of my favorite art museums in the world. It’s enriching and inspiring and just walking around taking it all in is amazing. The museum is divided into two main buildings: the neoclassical West Building and the modernist East Building. This is free to the public. My favorite piece is Leonardo da Vinci’s Ginevra de’ Benci, 1474 so stop in and take a look. It is the only painting by Leonardo on public view in the Americas. The impressionism collection is also vast and incredible.

The art work is beautiful very pleasant, and you get a great history of art. You will learn a lot about art and the history of art.

We recently went seeba new Degas art exhibit on pictures of ballet dancers and operas. Very well done and a visit to the Nation Gallery is always a treat.

There is no need to pre-book, just turn up. Compared to the National Gallery in London, this is a much more relaxing gallery with plenty of space. You’re not overwhelmed with other people, so you can relax and concentrate on the paintings so much more. I went on a one hour long free tour with Barbara around the gallery. I’d highly recommend it - she is engaging, humorous and insightful and will draw your attention to pictures you might have overlooked.

My particular favourites were the colourful French impressionists. Generally the gallery has a great collection of Pisarro, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Manet and Seurat. It must be one of the best collections of French paintings outside of France. Plenty else too!

It’s also a calm and cool interior with plenty of comfortable seating. What better way to rest your weary feet after a hard day’s walking up and down the National Mall!

I found this place an oasis of calm and elegance. I loved it so much I came again the next day. Please do give it a chance. It’s free!

This is a beautiful place to visit and spend the whole day viewing art. American History Art was spectacular

Impeccable permanent collection and exhibits in stunning buildings. Great idea to ask for donations to those buying something in the gift shop.
Management falters on lack of drinking fountains and inability to fill a water bottle anywhere but a bathroom sink. No apparent recycling.
Also we would like to see circulation of thr enormous amount of art in storage to the multitude of small museums in the USA and beyond. Help those small museums thrive and NG can take full credit!

An amazing architectural building housing an absolutely outstanding collection of art works from the world over, representing all genres of styles, periods, artists...just go, just do it...don't hesitate.
You can spend at least 1 to 2 hours if you are wishing to focus on one period or artist...or you can spend multiple hours if your interests are more diverse...heck you could spend a couple days there are so many wonderful pieces on display...and the museum is so immense.

I've been to the National Gallery of Art over the years, and it never gets old. I was just there today and they have beautiful azaleas around the fountain and statue of Mercury. Has some staples of artwork and is easy to navigate. We were looking for the Thomas Cole paintings and we found a very friendly and helpful docent. She gave very good and clear directions and we easily found the paintings.

Note that the East Building in currently closed, as is the cafe [in the west building]. Side entrances are not open-- enter through the front entrance or the entrance off the mall.

Came for the Early Renaissance religious paintings, stayed for America's only Da Vinci and for Dali's Last Supper. You'll have to ask for the last one - it's through the gift shop and on the left. The architecture of this beautiful national museum is a joy to behold in itself!

For art lovers, this is a must-go. It mainly depends upon you about the time it takes to move around. If you love arts more than yourself then even a day or month does not suffice otherwise just two hours or may be an hour is great.

We went a bit late (the museum closes at 5!!) and little did we know that one could spend hours in the museum captivated by every work of art. From Dutch Baroque to High Rennaissance paintings, the gallery includes many famous European artworks from some of the most notable artists. In particular, "Woman Holding a Balance" by Vermeer and the Napoleon portrait by David were shown, among the many others. Furthermore, the museum allowed for close observation of these paintings, which allowed for longer gazing.

The museum is split into organized sections which are captioned on the map with the corresponding time period, era, and location. There is also multiple levels. Bags are screened at entry for safety purposes, and only one strap can remain on inside. The middle of the gallery includes a fountain and large dome, whilst the sides include open areas with lush greens.

Overall, if you were given the opportunity to visit one museum in the national mall, I would suggest visiting this one as it contains an unparalleled amount of artworks.

So many things here to see that are can’t miss experiences: the Vermeers, the entire room of Calder mobiles, the Monets you’ve seen in pictures a hundred times but now in real life, the very-well curated renaissance art section, the beautiful inner courtyards and central fountain, The Adoration of the Magi, the fantastic John Singer Sargent collection…there’s too many to name. It’s easy to spend hours wandering and enjoying. Don’t miss this.

My favorite place with lots of gorgeous Dutch paintings.
However, during this visit, I was harshly scolded by a security when I mistakingly put a map on the plastic-guarded display in German art section on 1st floor. A map on a plastic!
Sure, I made a mistake, but she could have talked to me a little differently.

I found other people complaining about the security guards here on TripAdvisor. so, I am not alone. Please take action to change the culture.

Went for an outstanding exhibition on the start of Impressionism in Paris. That was the highlight of the visit. We also took in a Haitian art gallery (too small for my liking), an even smaller Gordon Parks photograph exhibition, and a 70s photography show that was fairly big and contained many of my favorite photographers. Of course, we only scratched the surface of this monster of a museum. The basement cafeteria had many choices (I just chose badly) for lunch. The only negative aspect of the afternoon was a run-in I had with a guard who wouldn't let me back into an exhibit (I had to use the bathroom) and got fairly obnoxious about it. Unnecessary. Training staff to listen to what a patron is actually saying would be a step in the right direction. Otherwise, it was a wonderful time had by all.

We had very little time to see the main pieces before it closed, but the staff was very helpful, directing us to each painting. The building itself is beautiful and well-maintained.

WOW !! Always fantastic ••• immaculately clean. Amazing staff. Always a great experience!!! Superb. What a stunning collection

We spread the visit over two days. On the first day, we visited the West Building with paintings, drawings and sculptures from 13 – 19 November. ==References== The West Building is housed in a Victorian building with very high ceilings and a beautiful lobby. Here are 24 m high marble columns with a Mercury fountain in the middle.

To get to the museum café, both buildings are connected to a futuristic passage – worth seeing. If you sit by the window in the Cascade café, you think the water from the fountain above, run into the café, but are stopped at the glass window. The ice cream in the cafe is delicious.

Definitely entering the East Building from the outside. It is a super-modern building by architect I.M. Pei from 1978. Art was installed under the ceiling of the high entrance hall. Interesting art objects are scattered throughout the East-Building. The East-Building showcases modern and contemporary art as well as special exhibitions.

Opening hours: daily 10:00 – 17:00

Don't expect Winter Palace or Louvre quality but not bad for a young country. The Museum is divided into two seperate wings.

The National Gallery of Art is a beautiful and impressive museum located right off the National Mall on the north side, directly across from the National Air and Space Museum, making it easy to find while sightseeing in Washington, DC. The entrance feels grand, with a smooth security checkpoint and a free coat check room that I highly recommend using this feature so you can explore comfortably without having to carry around your extra things. The main entrance opens into a massive rotunda supported by 16 large columns and topped with a domed ceiling, which really highlights the museum’s elegant design. As you move through the galleries counterclockwise from the north entrance, the artwork appears to be displayed in chronological order, making it easier to follow the progression of art over time. The collection features works from around the world, and there is so much to see that you could easily spend days exploring. One challenge, however, is the lack of clear signage and limited stroller or wheelchair access at the south entrance off the Mall, which can make entry confusing for some visitors. Despite this drawback, the museum is calm, well organized, and overall a lovely place to visit with an incredible amount to offer.

There is so much to see in this Gallery. If you are a fan of Art, don't miss it. Many of the old masters are displayed here. The rotunda gave us a WOW experience. Right now the gallery is only open on certain days and you have to have a reservation to get in. We looked on-line to book but the site said sold out. We decided to just stop by and see if we could get in and lucky for us there was available space.

Sure, it's kinda cool to be able to see a large number of large sculptures outdoors, but to be honest, this area is rather anticlimactic after coming out of the National Gallery of Art. The biggest benefit is being able to sit and take a load off those tired Dawgs (weather permitting).

The garden is beautiful when I went during the fall. You can enjoyed and beautiful afternoon just sitting and enjoying the moment. The park has not fee to enter and is conveniently located close to national art museum and other DC museum.

The garden has plenty of area to sit specially around the water fountain, the garden has different sculpture, one of favorite is AMOR. Good place to enjoy a warm afternoon.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is a beautiful garden behind the National Archives. It comprises of a beautiful fountain, tons of greenery, and of course, many sculptures. I highly recommend coming here to relax in the shade and enjoy nature.

With the help of the textual and audio explanations in the museum app, I found in each room at least one painting that fascinated me. I took two guided tours and both were very interesting and eye opening.

Absolutely lavish interiors and beautiful and surprising pieces of art. I loved it here and could have stayed all day. Ideal for all.

The mobile app was practical to navigate this maze-like gallery and helped us track what we didn't want to miss, such as the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas, "Ginevra de' Benci".

A really great art museum.
And if you are for art of all kinds it is really worth a visit .
Even if you are not for art if you have the time, it is worth a visit.
I could have spent many hours there.
There were some of the most beautiful paintings I've seen in a long time.

This experience truly deserves to be rated 5 stars, in my opinion. The art is amazing, there is free entry and the building itself is stunning. I would recommend every person in DC to visit this museum.

One of the best art museums we have ever visited! The NGOA houses all eras and styles and is a must see. Be sure to carve out at least 2 hours to enjoy this magnificent attraction. We especially enjoyed the Picasso, Monet and Renoir pieces!

I visited the National Gallery from Ireland as part of my thesis. The information staff were incredibly helpful especially Rosemary who went over and beyond to assist me. I had such a positive experience with every single member of staff. Also the collection is wonderful particularly if Impressionism is your thing. A beautiful setting with wonderful staff.

I am not an art lover but did appreciate what my eyes saw. My wife loves it and educated me to what much of it was. That started to peak my interest.

We walked through the Sculpture Garden on our way to the National Mall. Some very nice sculptures but the girls without heads was a bit bizarre. I wouldn't make a point of going there but it was on our way.

This is really worth going through. There are many famous paintings hanging here, and it’s worth seeing them. This is a place you can spend a whole day in. We only saw half the museum, and there was another part of it next door. They had a special activity here: you could pick up a pad of paper to copy pictures on. It was a lot of fun to try drawing some – much more involving.

An excellent range of art, very well organised and illuminated. Do not miss the furniture, which benefited from English craftsmanship but with a wider range of woods available from the the newer country. An excellent café.

Incredible museum that felt like walking in the museums of Europe. Be prepared to head to see the masterpieces or favorite works as it would still take days to take in the collection that includes famous Dutch paintings, Impressionism highlights, and modern art. The NGA is split into the East and West buildings.

Eating at the museum: There are very limited options for lunch around the National Mall except the outdoor food trucks. The museum has three cafes. The menu for the Garden Cafe in the East building near the gift shop looked favorable with an array of coffees and pastries and featured avocado toast and salads. Since the menu is not published, it might be updated frequently. Seating is very limited but plated food is served.

The Cascade Cafe between the East and West building did not look appetizing with a cafeteria feel and the usual burgers and fried food. On the West side you can get boxed wraps and salads on The Terrace which is on par with what you would pick up at one of the airport eateries "grab and go." We didn't go by the Pavilion Cafe between the NGA and Hirshhorn.

Note that the cafes are pricey so it can affect a family budget. But, with so much to see and take in at the Smithsonian museums, it helps to sit down and have something to eat.

PROS
* Nice open air area
* Spacious and pleasant
* Relaxing and inviting
* Interesting unusual structures and creative art
* Call and cool breezes (sometimes)
* Cafe walk up counter indoor place
* Outdoor tables for sitting and eating
* Large fountain display of water
* Next to National Museum of Natural History
* Associated with (and a walkway away from) the National Gallery of Art
* Panoramic vista opposite the National Archives (please see my attached here artistic and creative “helpful” photos of this

CONS
* Relatively unknown exhibit area
* Somewhat rather hokey pieces of outdoor architecture

“ I VISITED THIS PLACE”…
… when I was walking between my beloved National Gallery of Art and my intended destination of the National Museum of Natural History.

I found this a pleasant respite from the two big museums and from the walk between them.

The outdoor sculptures were interesting and somewhat hokey, but provided for me a good backdrop for my scenic, artistic, creative photos. (see my “helpful “photos)

I also walked into the café and watched people in line buying stuff.

ADVICES
I would not necessarily go out of my way to “visit this place,” but if you are walking between the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of Natural History, then this is a good place to stop.

There is so much to see in this museum. There will be something for everyone to enjoy. I recommend skipping the sections you aren’t interested in as the collection is quite long and you can easily spend hours in the museum.

We had an OUTSTANDING visit to the Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment exhibit on display at the National Gallery of Art. The exhibit did an excellent job of crafting the story of the competing 1874 Paris art exhibitions, making the 19th century paintings accessible to this family of art novices. We were even inspired to check out a few Impressionist paintings in the museum’s permanent exhibit on our way out. The museum’s crowd management for this popular exhibit was thoughtful and the long line to enter moved quickly for us.

An amazing collection of art that spans the times. The I.M. Pei Wing is iconic architecture. I love sitting in the cafe near the waterfall that cascades down the glass wall. There’s an expansive gift shop that connects both wings, great place for unique gifts for the creatives that you know. I like going during the week when it’s not busy, and avoiding tourists during the off season. A national gem.

For a world renowned museum funded in millions by a world renowned country, this museum misses the mark. It is full of GREAT art works by leading artists, Monet, Vermeer, Raphael but the overall experience is extremely old and dated. The curatorial staff are trapped in the 1980s if not the 1970s. The new exhibits were fresh and modern. But 90% of the museum is NOT. Major artworks are not highlighted and are overshadowed by lesser works in their location. More innovation could be done with wall treatments, colors, display of information, signage to go directly to favorite important works like the Tate, British Museum and Louvre do. The cafe was a nightmare - outrageous prices for a national museum - shameful to charge a large family $4 for a can of Coke that cost 25c in a pack at the store. The cafe food was awful and some of the food was disgusting. I would NEVER eat there again - the prices are outrageous comparable to a gourmet restaurant in NYC for lunch - over $20 for a tiny piece of salmon or quiche - and I do mean TINY portions! Long lines. Took forever to have the food served. Inadequate seating as many visitors hog the area to do research or use their smart phones. The staff who guard the art were professional and helpful. Having visited many museums around the world, its very embarrassing our nation is not keeping up with the museum experience. Thankfully the museum is free!

I sold a home to the curator of the National Gallery. He has put together and amazing collection of fine art. One of the best art galleries in the country! A must see.

Many paintings. Good representation of American artists. A bit confusing organisation. Unfortunately the East Building was closed.
Worth a visit.

I stopped here after needing to get a drink of water from a long walk and I was thoroughly impressed at how beautiful it was!

Came across this lovely park while strolling down Constitution Avenue. Although I didn't like all of the sculptures in the park, as a whole, I thought the collection of artwork was impressive. The small skating rink in the middle of the park (I went in early December) also looked like a lot of fun.

As a visitor, you must decide what it is you want to see. Our teenager chose a tour that had a taste of different art eras. It was wonderful. There were younger children with their parents and elders. The docent was animated and top notch.

Guards at this museum are rude and unhelpful, although there are some good ones. Lately they seem to be very concerned about people wearing backpacks in the museum . . . not just in the galleries but even in the museum store and dining area! I guess there was an incident recently. I understand the risks associated with wearing a backpack on the back while in the galleries, but if you are going to have a policy about this, enforce it correctly. I was wearing my bag on one shoulder yesterday with the bag resting on my hip (not swinging, held in place by my arm) and I was called out loudly by one of the guards and told that my pack needed to be on one shoulder . . . which it was! When I expressed confusion about what she wanted, she whipped out a little card that showed a graphic of a person with a backpack on one shoulder. She clearly thought I couldn't understand English. Really demeaning. If this is such an issue, then NGA needs to post signs about what they want, and guards need to stop singling out individuals and loudly shaming them in from of other guests.
Great museum as always, and I have been going there for decades, but it seems like every time I go I hear at least one guard treating guests in a way that is less than professional. If a guard has a concern, they should walk up to the person and address them in a normal speaking voice, not broadcast it throughout the entire room.

We saw the West Wing of the Gallery with the tour guide. She was kind and considerate. I appreciated her taking us to all the "important" rooms, but also some of the lesser known rooms. We were then able to go explore on our own. It was a great tour.

This is a great, very accommodating museum.

There are currently several special exhibits- Sargent In Spain is a wonderful, a must see event (we also went to a lecture in the East Wing which was extremely informative- do it if one is scheduled). The other was the Secrets of Vermeer and it was also very interesting and worthwhile.

There were other things we wanted to see but ran out of time.

As we toured through all of the museums and Exhibits there was a tour guide she was leading children and was so loud it ruin the trip many people were complaining but at the art museum they had a lot of security however directions were terrible at all of the parks about how to navigate your way around but once we finally got to the pictures they were beautiful and amazing

The collections are fantastic. We were amazed at how many important works are in the National Gallery. We had no idea how large it was, and we're amazed at how many important artworks were actually on display.

Hours of awe inspiring art. DC is fortunate to have this treasure. Plan on some time and wear comfortable shoes.

We visited the National Gallery of Art last month primarily to see the Impressionist exhibition - which was very excellent! We also attended a piano concert there. And we visitedthe other galleries in both buildings. What a great day!

This museum contains collections of leading paintings and sculptures. Everything is well arranged in a building that allows to highlight everything. Always nice hours to spend there.

I visited the National Gallery of Art - Sculpture Garden in August 2021. It was a very hot and humid day. The fountain in the middle was interesting and the sculpture by Alexander Calder and also a tree sculpture. The Pavilion Cafe was too crowded so I did not stay there.

This is such a beautiful museum and one we would definitely visit again. The building itself is gorgeous and it's wonderful to walk through the halls viewing gorgeous masterpieces. They have a fantastic selection of paintings dating back centuries, including the only Da Vinci that's publicly viewable in the Americas; we had no idea that the Da Vinci painting was here and it was truly a joy to view it as it's spectacular. Like most DC museums, admission is free and it's fantastic that anyone can visit and see these works of art. This is definitely one of our favorite museums in DC and one that we will visit again in the future.

Granted I am in my 70s, but the East and West wings are never crowded and it is so pleasant to stroll around all the artworks. This visit we discovered the Calder mobiles on the third floor of the Tower.

We visited here after leaving the Capitol building. We didn't have time to see much due to the place getting ready to close 90 minutes after we arrived. However, after the security checks we worked our way onto the first floor. I had hoped to see a collection of Dutch and Flemish Old Masters from 17th century but this section is closed for building and expansion.

However, I made up for it by seeing a large collection of 19th French Impressionist Art and others in another part of the gallery. There were works by Turner, Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Constable. Gaugin, Lautrec and Cezanne. Just a great pity we didn't have sufficient time to take it all in, and there were other things to do in the week which meant we did not return. However, Art lovers should give this place a viewing. It's a must.

PROS
* As stated and known, this is one of the world's most outstanding art galleries
* t has an incredible amazing outstanding priceless historical art showcasing a breathtaking display of paintings over millennia of years
* I am enthralled by the outstanding and "umpressive" display of impressionist paintings, especially Claude Monet, and his associates and friends, in galleries 80 and 85 and also some others
* An entire wing of this magnificent museum is dedicated to medieval religious paintings and sculptures from 800 to 900 and even 1000 years ago
* It has an incredible collection of medieval and Renaissance works, including the only painting of Leonardo da Vinci that is in North America
* There is a fantastic collection of paintings from 1700/1800/early 1900, including an mazing display of portraits of our first eight presidents by Gilbert Stewart
* As stated, there is a fantastic and large amount of paintings by such impressionist masters as Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, Pissarro, Degas and Van Gogh
* The building itself is majestic regal stately iconic classical structure with dome, resembling a Greek or Roman ancient temple of idol worship.
* There are wonderful pleasant open and welcoming hallways, walkways and galleries
* It is free cloak room to check stuff
* There are at least three entrances- from the side of our National Mall and also from Constitution Avenue and even the side street opposite the National Sculpture garden
* There is easy pleasant security screening on entry
* A big bonus is that it is totally free of charge!!

CONS
* It can get crowded in the more popular galleries (as in my 80 and 85).

“I VISITED THIS PLACE”…
… for the second time in9 months, even though I had visited in 2019, 2022 and 2023, and despite that I had been here a few dozen times, since I love this museum and I’ve been coming here whenever i have the chance, and that’s since the early to mid-1970s.

As always, I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this recent visit, and this time, I visited the famous Impressionist exhibit commemorating 150 years since their premier exhibition in Paris in 1874. I had seen this exhibit 10 months eaerlier at le Musee de l'Orangerie in Paris.

I reveled in seeing again the collection of impressionist paintings, even though they had been moved downstairs in anticipation of the upcoming impressionist exhibition commemorating the 1874 event. We waited in a long winding snake-like line through the grand hallways for more than an hour before being admitted to the fantastic special exhibit.

I was able to sneak out of line to see the fantastic later impressionist paintings in gallery 85, but otherwise,

I did not see any of my other favorites, such as the larger-than-life portrait of Napoleon, the portraits of our first eight Presidents (most done by Gilbert Stuart) and the 4 paintings of The Stages of Life by Thomas Cole in 1840.

I also did not explore the western section of the building where there are the medieval and renaissance (largely Christian themed) painting, but also the only one Leonardo da Vinci painting in North America (I had seen the Mona Lisa four days prior at the Louvre in Paris).

WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
Yes

WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Absolutely

ADVICES
* Of course you need to go and see the incredible astonishing world class art

Art isn't something I know a lot about, so I always like listening in when the workers/volunteers are talking about paintings. Very nice that they had a coat/bag check, so I didn't have to carry around all my gear. It was a last-minute stop during my day, and it was lovely just walking around looking at art.

It is worth visiting this gallery. Very beautiful! Beautiful pictures! Wonderful paintings! Even here is exposed the only Da Vinci from the United States.

The National Gallery of Art in D.C. is like a treasure trove of awesome art. It's not all fancy and serious – just a cool mix of different vibes. And the best part? It's free. Whether you're an art buff or just looking for a laid-back afternoon, it's definitely worth a visit.

It had been over 15 years since my last visit so I saw the galleries with fresh eyes. It exceeded my memories. We had an excellent docent led introductory tour, she took us to pieces and really discussed the artist, it's history and engaged us in our impressions. There is a small lunch space which serves salads and sandwiches. The gift shop is impressive. I love buying blank note card and had trouble deciding among the offerings.

Beautifully displayed portraiture. I especially liked the presidential gallery. Good for young kids studying American History.

One need not go to Europe to experience the art of Rembrandt, Rubens, Degas, Renoir, Picasso, Van Go, Vinci, and other masters. There is also major works of Americans, such as Andrew Wyatt, O'Keefe, Hooper, Homer, etc. With it's changing exhibits, one can keep coming back again and again. The buildings are most impressive as well, with the East wing being modern and the West wing being classical. it would take weeks to take in all that is on display in the National Museum of Art

Glorious and Beautiful. This small wonderful space is for you and me to enjoy. I love the fountains, the Spider sculpture, Steel Aurora, Thinker on a rock and four sided pyramid. So many treasures as you take a stroll.

We arrived in hot hot hot August but still we found shade as we toured this gallery. It is easy to forget this is a gallery because it is in the heart of the city but it is a work of art. This is not a huge park but a tiny space of art that our National Gallery has to share in this permanent collection. People wonder why it is so small. Real Estate is pricey in DC and we are lucky to have this.

I recommend you pack a picnic or eat at the little cafe outside. Enjoy the time before or after you visit the other museums.

We visited the Neoclassical West building whose classical collection is built on the donation of the Mellon patriarch. We went late week, and I was astounded by the smallish crowds for a world class art museum. The interior is laid out brilliantly too, so peaceful.

The Sculpture Garden is located on the National Mall between the National Gallery of Art and the Hirshhorn Museum. The 5,300 m² sculpture garden was completed and opened to the public in 1999. It is free to enter and currently contains around 20 large sculptures and works by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Joan Miro and Louise Bourgeois.

Did a family photoshoot here right when they opened, even on a Saturday morning all the staff were helpful and informative. A wide selection of items are available in the various gift shops and the garden cafe food was delicious.

Essential. I was shocked enormously and for good. The building is spectacular, but its collection of paintings stands out, you can not overlook a visit to this museum.
I'll remember it a long time.

I know what it is but a friend told me visit otherwise I may have chose somewhere else.

Impressive entrance, quickly through security but be aware no liquids understandably. Entry is free.

Started in the cafe, excellent choices and quickly served.

An art gallery is always good but this was unbelievable with the works available to view. Art work from so many wonderful artists but not the massive paintings like you see in the National Gallery in London for instance.

Art works that wasn't just paintings, some statues as well.

This was two hours well spent.

Thank you Washington DC.

Huge building, but not too exhaustive to visit. Many famous paintings, really easy to see. Entrance is free and no reservation is needed. Unfortunately the modern part of the museum was under construction