Electronic Superhighway

Where Will American Art Take You?

We are pleased to welcome you to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery with safety measures in place

Thank you for your continued support while we were closed, and as we gradually reopen. We look forward to seeing you in the galleries. Stay safe and enjoy your visit.

Know Before You Go: Guidelines for Visiting

We are delighted to welcome visitors back into our galleries. To keep us all safe, we ask that visitors, including those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, follow these safety measures to protect everyone’s health. Please review the important information below as you plan your visit. 

Face Coverings

A graphic of a face mask

All visitors ages two (2) and older are required to wear a mask while visiting Smithsonian museums and indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

Ring in the Year of the Tiger! Let's celebrate Lunar New Year online with hands-on craft activities, videos, and festive coloring pages, featuring artworks from SAAM's collection. There is fun for the whole family!

From the Director

Stephanie Stebich, the Margaret and Terry Stent Director, looks ahead to the notable exhibitions scheduled to open in 2022 and discusses building a collection with an eye on representation. Read more! 

 

Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano brings to life the Venetian glass revival of the late nineteenth century and the artistic experimentation the city inspired for visiting artists. Exhibition now open!
 

Latest Blog Post

Drawn to Art: Ten Tales of Inspiring Women Artists

Drawn to Art is a comic series that illuminates the stories of ten women artists whose artwork is represented in the SAAM's collection, some of whom may not have received the attention they deserved in their lifetimes. 

  Discover Drawn to Art

A girl with curly brown hair and brown skin holds a mallet in both hands and looks directly out of the page. Text reads: “Edmonia Lewis: Breaking the Marble Ceiling.”

Illustrated by Rachel Bivens

An illustration of a girl with curly brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin, and rosy cheeks standing in 3/4 profile facing out of the page. She is wearing a blue jacket with fringe along the shoulders, a cream-colored shirt with a pointed collar, a pink tie around her neck, a small red sculptor’s cap--a close-fitting brimless hat--on her head, and a cream-colored skirt that flows out of the frame of the image. In her hand she holds a mallet, her other hand cradles the head of the hammer. She stares straight out of the page with an expression of fierce determination on her face. Behind her, is a purple background in a washed, watercolor effect. Text reads, “Edmonia Lewis: Breaking the Marble Ceiling.”

Breaking the Marble Ceiling: A Comic About Edmonia Lewis

The daughter of a Haitian father and an Ojibwe mother Lewis overcame many obstacles before finding success as a sculptor in Rome, where her fame brought countless visitors to her studio.

Read the Story
Black woman sitting on a chair in the center of the cover with her hand resting on her forehead set against a patchwork background of colorful geometric and floral patterns. Text at the top of the page reads “Mickalene Thomas: Portrait”

Illustrated by Shayna Cohen

A vividly colored cover with a patchwork of purple, yellow, pink, tan, and blue geometric and floral designs. Artist Mickalene Thomas, a black woman wearing glasses with her hair in dreads tied up in a bun, is seated in a chair with wheels in the center. The artist has her left arm resting on her forehead as she leans backward in a relaxed position. The background is full of many different patch work patterns in a variety of colors with various floral patterns and textures represented. Text at the top of the page reads “Mickalene Thomas: Portrait”

Portrait: A Comic About Mickalene Thomas

When contemporary artist Mickalene Thomas was in art school, she couldn’t afford traditional materials and gravitated towards craft stores and the glitter and rhinestones within. Her paintings speak to female empowerment and of women of color owning and defining their own spaces.

Read the Story
Carmen Herrera Comic Cover

Illustrated by Ezra Gaeta

 

In Awe of the Straight Line: A Comic About Carmen Herrera

Carmen Herrera was born in Havana, Cuba, then lived in Paris before moving to New York City in 1952. She faced discrimination in the art world for being an immigrant and a woman and only found success late in life for her minimal, beautiful works.

Read the Story

Take a closer look at the painting Blanco y Verde by Carmen Herrera. Learn more about the rich and varied contributions of Latinx artists and how they have recalibrated key themes in American art and culture.

Explore all Museum Videos

New Acquisitions

Discover artworks recently added to the collection in New Acquisitions.

View New Acquisitions

Learn more about recently acquired artworks on SAAM's blog 
 

Host an Event

Looking for an elegant and dazzling location to host an event in 2021, and beyond? Contact us, and let us help you make your event unforgettable.

Reserve Your Space Now

Exhibitions Online

Browse exhibitions online, including artwork galleries, and artist and curator interviews.

View Upcoming Exhibitions

View Current and Past Exhibitions

Explore the Collection

Celebrate the extraordinary creativity of artists whose works reflect the American experience and global connections.

Explore all Art + Artists in the Collection 

Browse Artwork by Category or Artist Names A-Z

For Educators

Local and national programs for teachers, students, and adult learners offer year-long professional opportunities for growth, learning, and professional development.

Explore online education resources and virtual programs 

Visit Us From Home

Immerse yourself in Google Street View’s 360° museum images from anywhere.

Tour the Museum Virtually 

Immersive Experiences

SAAM’s virtual reality museum apps present a selection of unique and immersive experiences.

For mobile
WONDER 360
Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

For VR headsets
No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man
SAAM Beyond the Walls

Museum from Home: Crafting Edition

Enjoy the latest step-by-step guide to at-home crafting with SAAM’s craft master, and check out our video library of crafting projects from past Handi-hour events.

Start Crafting

Browse Art