For a city known for politics and power, Washington, D.C. contains numerous centers dedicated to great beauty. From the spacious Smithsonian museums to tiny independent galleries, D.C.‘s art museums house diverse and worthwhile collections of art from every period, geographical location and style.

The American University Museum
Open Tuesday-Sunday (Check Web site for hours)
Free
Katzen Arts Center at Ward Circle, across from the North Side Complex
http://www.american.edu/academic.depts/cas/katzen/index.cfm

AU’s year-old Katzen building is home to the university’s art museum, which features two collections of primarily 20th-century works. With many students’ bedrooms and classrooms a short walk away, the museum is accessible and convenient. If its proximity isn’t enough of a draw, the museum also offers pieces by Picasso, Lichtenstein and many D.C.-area artists.

The Phillips Collection
Open Tuesday-Sunday, except major holidays (check Web site for hours)
Admission: $10 for students
1600 21st St. N.W.
Metro: Dupont Circle (red line)
http://www.thephillipscollection.org

The first modern art museum in America, the Phillips Collection opened in 1921 and now resides in the former home of collector Duncan Phillips. Featuring a wide range of European and American paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries, the museum’s many rooms (most of which are decorated in the style of the home’s time period) are filled with iconic pieces, from Degas’ ballet dancers to Rothko’s two-tone canvases. Despite this impressive collection, the museum is perhaps most famous for one piece - Renoir’s celebrated “Luncheon of the Boating Party.” (Yes, the painting from “Am?lie.”)

National Gallery of Art
Open daily, except select holidays (check Web site for hours)
Free
National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Metro: Smithsonian (blue-orange line)
http://www.nga.gov

As far as art museums go, the National Gallery of Art is quite possibly the best bet in The District. For one, the museum is absolutely free. Located conveniently near the Smithsonian galleries, the National Gallery houses approximately 110,000 pieces of art in two buildings. Some 90 rooms of European paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages to the present fill the West Building, while the East Building displays modern and contemporary art. The museum is best during the week, as its most popular rooms - those featuring Monet, for instance - can be crowded on weekends.

The Smithsonian Institution
Open daily, except select holidays (check Web site for hours)
Free
Most of the Smithsonian museums are located on the National Mall or within walking distance of the Smithsonian Metro Station. See Web site for other locations.
http://www.si.edu

A trip to the National Mall means ample opportunity to explore the Smithsonian Institution’s vast holdings. For modern and contemporary works, there is the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The National Portrait Gallery pieces together American history through portraiture of important national figures. The American Art Museum and Renwick Galleries were recently reopened and showcase American works from the 18th century to the present. To avoid the Smithsonian’s large crowds, some unique choices are the National Museum of African Art, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The first is home to traditional African furniture and musical instruments as well as art. The latter two galleries are connected and feature a carefully selected Asian art collection, as well as James McNeill Whistler’s ostentatious Peacock Room.

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Open daily, except select holidays (check Web site for hours)
Admission: $6 for students
1250 New York Ave. N.W.
Metro: Metro Center (red line)
http://www.nmwa.org

Unique for being the only museum in the world devoted entirely to the works of female artists, the National Museum of Women in the Arts has a collection that spans from the 16th century to the present. Works by more than 800 artists currently reside, interestingly enough, in a former Masonic Temple near downtown. The museum also produces a magazine and has a research center, both intended to popularize previously unknown female artists from all eras.

The Kreeger Museum
Open Tuesday-Friday by reservation and Saturday (check Web site for hours)
Admission: $5 for students
2401 Foxhall Road N.W. (walking distance from AU)
Call (202) 338-3552 to make tour reservations.
http://www.kreegermusem.com

Mere blocks from the AU campus sits the Kreeger Museum, which specializes in American and European works from the Impressionist to the Modern period. A more exclusive art experience, the Kreeger requires visitors to make reservations on all days except Saturdays. The museum also hosts classical concert series to honor David and Carmen Kreeger’s musical appreciation.

The Corcoran
Open Wednesday to Sunday, except select holidays (check Web site for hours)
Admission: $4 for students
500 17th St. N.W.
Metro: Farragut North (red line)
http://www.corcoran.org

Lest living in the nation’s capital is not patriotic enough, the Corcoran provides a premier collection of American paintings and sculptures as well as European art. Works by famous Americans such as Mary Cassat, Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent are housed in the same building as works by students at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, creating a truly diverse and ever-evolving portrait of American art.

D.C. Art Galleries

For the college student with a little extra change in his or her pockets, D.C.‘s art galleries offer plentiful opportunities to be rid of such monetary burdens. Many of the city’s galleries are located in Dupont Circle, though they’re found in almost all neighborhoods (particularly in the northwestern section of the city). Keep in mind that, unlike major museums, many galleries are commercial and intend to sell their art. Therefore, galleries that require appointments are probably not for the casual art fan. Here is a very abridged list of some local galleries.

Addison/Ripley Fine Art Gallery
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
1670 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.
http://www.addisonripleyfineart.com

District of Columbia Arts Center
Open Wednesday-Sunday, 2-7 p.m.
2438 18th St. N.W.
http://www.dcartscenter.org

Hemphill
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or by appointment
1515 14th St. N.W.
http://www.hemphillfinearts.com

Hillyer Art Space
Visit by appointment only
9 Hillyer Court N.W.
http://www.artsandartists.org

Irvine Contemporary
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. or by appointment.
1412 14th St. N.W.
http://irvinecontemporaryart.com

Museum of Contemporary Art
Open Wednesday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m.
1054 31st St. N.W.
http://www.mocadc.org