Museums

Museum Exhibits Scheduled for 2008

The following listings, though hardly comprehensive, should give you an idea about 2008's upcoming or current shows at major Washington museums. Because schedules sometimes change, it's always a good idea to call ahead. See individual entries for phone numbers and addresses.

Anacostia Community Museum -- "Separate but Unequal: Local Negro Baseball Teams" (May 18-Oct 5). Oral remembrances, historical photographs, and memorabilia tell the story of Washington's Negro hometown team, the Grays, who delivered a near-unbeatable record from 1937 to 1947.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden -- "The Cinematic Effect: Illusion, Reality and the Moving Image," Part I: Dreams (Feb14-May11); Part II: Realisms (June 19-Sept 7). This exhibit explores the ways contemporary art and film reflect our ideas of fact and fiction. "Dreams" looks at the experience of film viewing as the transition between waking and a dreamlike state; "Realisms" focuses on the question of reality versus illusion.

National Air and Space Museum -- "In Plane View: Abstractions of Flight" (Nov 17, 2007, to Jan 27, 2008). Museum photographer Carolyn Russo's exhibit of 55 color photographs reveal the simple beauty of aircraft and spacecraft design.

National Gallery of Art -- "In the Forest of Fontainebleau: Painters and Photographers from Corot to Manet" (Mar 2-June 8). Reveals the role of the Forest of Fontainebleau in the development of 19th-century landscape painting.

National Museum of Natural History -- "Written in Bone" (Nov 17, 2007, to Oct 2008). In recognition of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World, the museum presents archaeological discoveries that connect the significance of Jamestown's history with the American way of life.

National Postal Museum -- "Postal Inspectors: The Silent Service" (Feb 2007 to Feb 2009). Spotlights the oldest federal law enforcement agency and its role in fighting crime throughout American history.

Phillips Collection -- "Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series: Selections from the Phillips Collection" (May 3-Oct 26). A presentation of 30 panels from Lawrence's 60-panel Migration series depicting the 20th-century movement of more than six million African Americans from the rural South to the urban North during and after World War I.

Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum -- "Going West! Quilts and Community along the Great Platte River Road" (Oct 5, 2007, to Jan 21, 2008). This display of 50 quilts reveals the role played by quilts and quilt making in frontier women's lives as America expanded westward in the 19th century.

Sackler Gallery -- "Garden and Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur" (June 7-Sept 7). Newly discovered paintings form the core of this exhibit of 17th- to 19th-century works, encompassing 61 paintings and a silk embroidered tent.

Smithsonian American Art Museum -- "Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist" (May 9-Aug 3). Presents the first nationally touring retrospective of the work of Aaron Douglas (1899-1979), one of the foremost visual artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Not to Miss!

October 2007 saw the opening of two grand attractions in downtown Washington: the Newseum, at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, and Madame Tussauds Washington, at 1025 F St. NW. While their debuts came too late to be given firsthand descriptions in this edition, they arrived just in time for anyone who plans to visit the capital in 2008. Here are some details:

Newseum: This is an immense museum, whose focus is the news. The 250,000-square-foot, seven-level building holds 14 galleries, 15 theaters, two broadcast studios, and a dozen interactive and hands-on exhibits. It traces the history of the news business for the past 5 centuries, and covers individual themes -- from photojournalism, to First Amendment rights, to the emergence and further developments of electronic news. Located just off the National Mall, the Newseum also encompasses a two-level conference center and a three-level restaurant, The Source by Wolfgang Puck. 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (between 5th and 6th sts.). tel. 888/NEWSEUM (639-7386). www.newseum.org. Admission: Adults $20, seniors $18, children ages 7 to 12 $13, children under 7 admitted free with an adult. Daily 9am to 5pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Jan. 1. Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial or Gallery Place/Verizon Center.

Madame Tussauds Washington: Only six other Madame Tussauds exist, only two others are located in the U.S., and only one allows you the pleasure of sizing up George Washington, mingling with Beyonce, or helping Tiger Woods line up his putt. Madame Tussauds is a wax museum whose life-size wax figure replicas of famous Americans and historic icons appear in one of four sections: The Spirit of Washington, D.C.; Behind the Scenes; Glamour; and Sports. Interactive displays allow visitors to step into the pictures of historic, celebrity, and sports events, whether to attend George Washington's inauguration or to hang with Julia Roberts. 1025 F St. NW (between 10th and 11th sts.). tel. 202/942-7300. www.madametussaudsdc.com. Daily 10am-5pm. Metro: Metro Center.

Museums of Special Interest

To the right person, with a specific interest, these lesser-known museums can be more than fascinating. Don't try to drop in without calling because most are not open daily, and some require appointments.

Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Ave. NW (tel. 202/785-2040): A century-old, 50-room mansion of amazing design and impressive art and furnishings. The mansion is headquarters for the Society of the Cincinnati, which was founded in 1783 by Continental officers (including George Washington) who had served in the American Revolution. Metro: Dupont Circle.

Art Museum of the Americas, 201 18th St. NW, within the Organization of American States (tel. 202/458-6016; www.museum.oas.org): From 80 to 200 works by contemporary Latin and Caribbean artists, on display from the museum's permanent collection. An Aztec garden and a second gallery in adjoining OAS building. Metro: Farragut West, then walk south about 6 blocks.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Museum, 1776 D St. NW (tel. 202/879-3241; www.dar.org/museum): Early American furnishings and decorative arts. Metro: Farragut West, then walk south about 5 blocks.

Decatur House, 1610 H St. NW at Lafayette Park (tel. 202/842-0920; www.decaturhouse.org): Historic house museum with permanent collection of Federalist and Victorian furnishings. Metro: Farragut West or McPherson Square.

Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW (tel. 202/337-2288; www.dumbartonhouse.org): Another historic house museum, with a permanent collection of 18th- and 19th-century English and American furniture and decorative arts. Metro: Dupont Circle, with a 20-minute walk along Q Street.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE (tel. 202/426-5961; www.nps.gov/frdo): Last residence of the famous African-American 19th-century abolitionist. Metro: Anacostia, then catch bus no. B2, which stops by the house.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW (tel. 202/686-8500; www.hillwoodmuseum.org): Magnificent estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, who collected art and artifacts of 18th-century France and Imperial Russia. Formal gardens, grand rooms, high tea. Metro: Van Ness or Cleveland Park.

Hillyer Art Space, 9 Hillyer Court NW (tel. 202/338-0680; www.artsandartists.org/artspace.php): This new, hip little two-room gallery is an arm of International Arts & Artists, and displays works of both regional and international artists in its mission to "increase cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally." Metro: Dupont Circle.

Interior Department Museum, 1849 C St. NW (tel. 202/208-4743; www.doi.gov/interiormuseum): Permanent exhibits relating to the work of agencies that fall within the Interior Department's jurisdiction: national parks, land management, Indian affairs, fish and wildlife services, environmental protection. Metro: Farragut West, then walk about 6 blocks south.

Kreeger Museum, 2401 Foxhall Rd. NW (tel. 202/338-3552; www.kreegermuseum.org): This museum in a residential neighborhood is a treasure trove of art from the 1850s to the 1970s, including Impressionist paintings and the works of many American artists. No Metro; take a cab.

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, 1318 Vermont Ave. NW (tel. 202/673-2402; www.nps.gov/mamc): Last residence of African-American activist/educator Bethune, who was a leading champion of black and women's rights during FDR's administration. Metro: McPherson Square.

National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW (tel. 202/272-2448; www.nbm.org): Housed within a historic building is this fine museum devoted to architecture, building, and historic preservation. Metro: Judiciary Square.

National Geographic Museum, 17th and M streets NW. (tel. 202/857-7588; www.nationalgeographic.com/museum): Rotating exhibits related to exploration, adventure, and earth sciences, using interactive programs and artifacts. Metro: Farragut North (Connecticut Ave. and L St. exit).

Old Stone House, 3051 M St. NW (tel. 202/426-6851; www.nps.gov/olst): A 1765 structure said to be the oldest in D.C. still standing on its original foundations. Colonial appearance, English garden. Metro: Foggy Bottom, with a 15-minute walk.

Sewall-Belmont House, 144 Constitution Ave. NE (tel. 202/546-3989; www.sewallbelmont.org): A must for those interested in women's history, the historic house displays memorabilia of the women's suffrage movement, which got its start here. Metro: Union Station.

Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW (tel. 202/667-0441; www.textilemuseum.org): Historic and contemporary handmade textile arts, housed in historic John Russell Pope mansion. Metro: Dupont Circle, Q Street exit, then walk a couple of blocks up Massachusetts Avenue until you see S Street.

Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW (tel. 202/965-0400; www.tudorplace.org): An 1816 mansion with gardens, home to Martha Washington's descendants until 1984. Metro: Dupont Circle, with a 25-minute walk along Q Street.

United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (tel. 202/737-2300; www.lonesailor.org): Plaza honors men and women of the U.S. Navy; museum features interactive video kiosks used to learn about Navy ships, aircraft, and history. Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial.

Woodrow Wilson House, 2340 S St. NW (tel. 202/387-4062; www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org): The former home of this president, preserved the way it was when he lived here in the 1920s. Docents guide visitors on hour-long tours, pointing out noteworthy objects and telling stories about the 28th president. Metro: Dupont Circle, Q Street exit, then walk a couple of blocks up Massachusetts Avenue until you reach S Street.