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Two historic locations

The Smithsonian American Art Museum shares its collections, programs, and exhibitions in two locations in Washington, DC. SAAM’s main building is located at the heart of a vibrant downtown cultural district, while its recently renovated branch museum for contemporary craft and decorative art, the Renwick Gallery, is located nine blocks west, near the White House. 

 

SAAM Building exterior

SAAM

Open Daily 11:30 A.M.–7:00 P.M.

Holiday Hours: Closed December 25, open usual hours all other days

Free Admission

American art museum featuring works from the colonial era to the present

8th and F Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20004 

More on Visiting SAAM

Renwick Gallery Exterior

Open Daily 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Holiday Hours: Closed December 25, open usual hours all other days

Free Admission

Branch museum featuring contemporary craft and decorative arts

Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006

More on Visiting Renwick

Featured Exhibitions

  • Chiura Obata: American Modern

    A watercolor image of Grand Canyon.

    November 27, 2019 — May 25, 2020

    Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and F Streets, NW)
    Japanese-born artist Chiura Obata’s seemingly effortless synthesis of different art traditions defies the usual division between “East” and “West.” This exhibition presents the most comprehensive survey of his rich and varied body of work to date, from bold California landscape paintings to intimate drawings of his experiences of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

  • Ginny Ruffner: Reforestation of the Imagination

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    June 28, 2019–January 5, 2020

    Renwick Gallery (Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW)
    Ginny Ruffner (b. 1952) is a glass artist best known for her elegant sculptures and mastery of glass techniques. Recently, she has created work that combines traditional glass sculpture with Augmented Reality (AR) technology to create an interactive viewer experience. Visitors to the exhibition "Reforestation of the Imagination" will use a downloadable app that superimposes digital information over seemingly barren sculptures, creating two distinct realities to explore.

  • Michael Sherrill Retrospective

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    June 28, 2019–January 5, 2020

    Renwick Gallery (Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW)

    In his delicately rendered sculptures in clay, glass, and metal, Michael Sherrill seeks to elicit a sense of wonder from viewers, and to make them see the natural world anew. Sherrill’s most recent work reveals his naturalist’s sensitivity to botanical wonders, especially those outside his studio in the mountains of North Carolina. This retrospective aligns Sherrill's work with a long history of a reverence for nature in American art.

  • Connections: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery

    Media - 2016.11 - SAAM-2016.11_6 - 124929

    March 29, 2019 - Ongoing

    Renwick Gallery (Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW)

    Connections is the Renwick Gallery’s dynamic ongoing permanent collection presentation, featuring more than 80 objects celebrating craft as a discipline and an approach to living differently in the modern world. The installation includes iconic favorites alongside new acquisitions.

Today's Events

FAQ

The museum is open every day 11:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

The Renwick Gallery is open every day from 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery are free and open to the public 364 days a year, closed December 25. No tickets or reservations required, and all public tours are free. 

SAAM welcomes people of all ages, including children. For activities for all ages, see Family Activities.

SAAM is located at Eighth and F streets N.W., above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station and is accessible from Green, Yellow, and Red Metro lines. The closest Metro stations to the Renwick Gallery are Farragut West (Blue, Orange, and Silver lines) and Farragut North (Red line).

Yes, although we have limitations to protect the artwork. Suitcases, large umbrellas, and large backpacks are not allowed in the galleries. Security officers may ask visitors to hand-carry smaller backpacks, or wear them on the front.

At SAAM, free lockers are available in the lobbies for smaller items. There are no lockers at the Renwick Gallery.

Yes, water bottles are allowed if closed. No smoking, eating, or drinking is allowed in the galleries. Food and drink are permitted in the Kogod Courtyard.

Service animals are welcome in both museum buildings. Please leave your pets at home.

Handheld photography and video for personal use is generally encouraged throughout the museum. Sometimes, photography of particular artworks may not be allowed in selected special exhibitions; please check the wall signage to confirm. No tripods, selfie sticks, or similar long tools are permitted in the galleries to protect the artworks.

Handheld photography and video for personal use is generally permitted throughout the museum. Sometimes, photography of particular artworks may not be allowed in selected special exhibitions; please check the wall signage to confirm. No tripods, selfie sticks, or similar long tools are permitted in the galleries to protect the artworks.

Yes, you are welcome to bring your computer to the museum. WiFi is available throughout the museum and the Kogod Courtyard has seating available.

There are elevators and ramps throughout the museum to accommodate strollers. Changing stations are available in all of the museum’s restrooms. Occasionally, special exhibitions may limit stroller access during busy times.

The museum offers daily tours at both SAAM and the Renwick Gallery. School group tours can be made in advance through our education department. Please book at least one month in advance.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery are free and open to the public, no tickets are required for admission to any of our galleries. Scheduled walk-in tours, including gallery talks with curators, are free and do not require a ticket. We recommend making a reservation in advance for a guided tour with a group.

Exhibitions rotate regularly at SAAM and the Renwick Gallery. To check what’s currently on view, see current exhibitions.

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