It’s freezing. Quite literally, the temperature has been below freezing for most of this week, or at least felt like it because of the harsh winds. So we know that you probably weren’t planning on stepping outside all weekend, but we have an idea that’ll get you to reconsider: spend the day warm and cozy inside... a museum!
Here are some of our recommendations for exhibits that are open throughout this weekend. Plus, they’re all free.
Nation to Nation
This past September, the American Indian Museum opened an exhibit titled "Nation to Nation: Treaties between the United States and American Indian Nation" that has generated a lot of buzz. The exhibit features a number of the treaties that have been drawn between the United States and American Indian nations throughout our country’s history. Learn more about the diplomats and leaders of Indian nations and walk away with a better understanding of their history and the challenges they face today.
When: the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Where: American Indian Museum, 4th Street and Independence Avenue SW
Metro stop: Federal Center, Blue/Silver/Orange Lines
Conversations
A more recent exhibit, "Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue" opened at the African Art Museum earlier this month. The exhibit features a collection of over 100 African and African Diaspora works of art from the Smithsonian and Camille O. and William H. Cosby Jr. collections. Many of these works have never been seen before and offer a unique look into the lives of Africans and African Americans. Art is a unique and valuable lens for history, and this is one you’ll definitely want to peek through.
When: the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Where: National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave., SW
Metro stop: Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver lines
Wilderness Forever
Whether you're a nature lover or just enjoy photography, this is an awe-inspiring exhibit. "Wilderness Forever: 50 Years of Protecting America's Wild Places" is a photo exhibition at the Natural History Museum that opened this past September. The exhibit showcases over 50 award-winning images of nature and wildlife taken by professional, amateur and student photographers. The collection was put together in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act and captures our nation’s wilderness in its element.
When: the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Where: Natural History Museum, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Metro stop: Federal Triangle, Blue/Orange/Silver lines
Time Covers the 1960s
This exhibit is for all the journalists, historians and wannabe hippies. Open since September, the Portrait Gallery's "Time Covers the 1960s" features original cover art from the museum’s Time collection. Starting with the Kennedy Inauguration and ending with Apollo 11's landing on the moon, the decade was filled with historical landmarks that have been memorialized on these covers. Get a glimpse into life in the 1960s through the magazine that covered its news and trends as they happened.
When: the museum is open from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily
Where: National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets, NW
Metro stop: Gallery Place/Chinatown, Red Line
Days of Endless Time
As finals loom closer and winter break is just out of reach, the days seem to drag on even longer. Escape from the non-stop pace of your routine at the Hirshhorn Museum's exhibit, "Days of Endless Time.” According to the Smithsonian website, the exhibit “presents installations...that emphasize escape, solitude, the thrall of nature, states of enchantment, meditation, and spirituality". What is most intriguing, however, is the way the space has been transformed into an experience that will transport you into an alternate reality.
When: the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Where: Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Avenue at 7th Street, SW
Metro stop: Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver lines
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