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Visit SAAM

The entrance of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery

SAAM is located at the heart of a vibrant downtown cultural district and presents American art from the colonial period to present.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Hours
Mon - Sun:
11:30 am‑7:00 pm

Visit Renwick

The entrance of the Renwick Gallery

The Renwick Gallery is located near the White House and presents craft and decorative art from the Museum’s collection.

Renwick Gallery
Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Hours
Mon - Sun:
10:00 am‑5:30 pm

Prepare for Your Visit

We are happy to welcome visitors to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery seven days a week. Visitor guidelines will keep you and the art safe.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except December 25)

The Renwick Gallery, SAAM's separate branch museum for contemporary craft, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (except December 25).

No, tickets are not required to visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum or its Renwick Gallery. 

There is no coat check or bag storage at the museums and the small lockers in each lobby are not available at this time.     

We encourage you to limit the number of personal belongings and bags you bring into our facilities. Suitcases, large umbrellas, and backpacks are not allowed in the galleries. Security officers may ask you to hand-carry smaller backpacks, or wear them on your front, to protect the artworks. Strollers are permitted in the galleries.  

Yes, smaller backpacks are permitted although we have limitations to protect the artwork. Suitcases, large umbrellas, and large backpacks are not allowed in the galleries. Security officers will ask visitors to hand-carry smaller backpacks, or wear them on the front of their bodies. Please note that we do not offer coat or bag storage. 

Beginning February 2023, visitors are required to pass through screening at the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the effort to standardize security throughout the Smithsonian Institution. Check the Smithsonian's security policy for the most up-to-date information.

 

Visitors are required to walk through a metal detector; those who cannot go through the metal detector will be hand-screened with an electronic wand by security personnel. Help speed your entry by limiting the number and size of personal belongings and bags brought on-site. 

 

Security officers are located throughout the building to protect the Museum, its collections, and most importantly, our visitors. Please feel free to ask them for assistance. A Security Desk is located by the Museum entrance/exit at the G Street and F Street entrances.

Accessibility

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its services accessible to everyone. We offer a range of programs for both adults and children with disabilities.

Barrier-free access to both SAAM’s main building and its Renwick Gallery are available.

At SAAM, ramps are located on both sides of the 8th and G Streets NW entrance. If you are using MetroAccess Paratransit, please use 800 G Street NW as the address for our building.

At the Renwick Gallery, a ramp at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW leads to an accessible entrance.

The bathrooms and high-touch areas, such as doors, will be cleaned more frequently throughout each day.

Service animals are welcome at Smithsonian museums. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. 

Featured Exhibitions

Media - 2016.38.43R-V - SAAM-2016.38.43R-V_2 - 126225
We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection
July 1, 2022March 26, 2023
We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection traces the rise of self-taught artists in the twentieth century and examines how, despite wide-ranging societal, racial, and gender-based obstacles, their creativity and bold self-definition became major forces in American art. The exhibition features recent gifts to the museum from two generations of collectors, Margaret Z. Robson and Douglas O. Robson.
Quilt featuring the portrait of a woman
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World
May 13, 2022April 2, 2023
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World showcases the dynamic landscape of American craft today. The exhibition highlights the role that artists play in our world to spark essential conversations, stories of resilience, and methods of activism—showing us a more relational and empathetic world. It centers more expansive definitions and acknowledgments of often-overlooked histories and contributions of women, people of color, and other marginalized communities.
Media - 1967.129 - SAAM-1967.129_1 - 65164
Artist to Artist
October 1, 2021September 3, 2023
Artist to Artist features paired artworks, each representing two figures whose trajectories intersected at a creatively crucial moment, whether as student and teacher, professional allies, or friends.

Upcoming Featured Events

  • Featured Event
    25
    Saturday
    Mar
    Event Image: (165232581) DgAwP8wZ3Bgdc-rhevbG7%2AUU.jpg
    In-Person Cherry Blossom Family Celebration
    Saturday, March 25, 2023, 11:30am – 3pm EDT
    Join us for our annual celebration of spring and the blooming trees of DC.
    Free | Registration encouraged via Eventbrite
     
  • Featured Event
    27
    Thursday
    Apr
    Event Image: (165232944) DgCywiNBAeiZ1PvpDfwgpw4o.jpg
    In-Person Handi-hour
    Thursday, April 27, 2023, 5:30 – 8pm EDT
    Get your green thumb ready for spring planting by making your own terrarium! Glass containers, sand, rocks, and small real and faux plants will be provided along with instructions.
    $25 | Registration required
    Registration opens April 10. Must be 21 or older to attend and show valid ID at the door.