Looking for fun ideas for makers in and around Washington, DC? Capital idea!! As home to the Smithsonian and other publicly funded sites, you can fill your day with inspiration free of charge. (However, donations are gratefully accepted.) With the wonders of the Internet, you can check each venue ahead of time and therefore plan accordingly. For sure, you’ll want to verify that it’s open when you want to visit. The Metrorail is a great way to get around, so check to see if there are Metro stations near your chosen locations.
Wear comfortable shoes – the major museums are huge, and you will take many steps. One tip for visiting a large museum when you have limited time: Don’t try to do it all! Check what is currently on exhibit to decide what you most want to see and map out your path. You will see tons of amazing stuff along the way to and from your destination, and if you have time after seeing your favorites, you can wander some more. For a break, many venues have cafés where you can rest and refuel.
National Gallery of Art
Washington, DC
The National Gallery of Art encompasses three locations on Constitution Avenue – the Sculpture Garden, the West Building and the East Building (pictured). You will find art of every kind here, and it’s possible to spend days enjoying it. Do you like Renaissance artists, Impressionists, Abstract Impressionists, Collage, Outsider Art? Covered, done, got ’em, yep, of course. Exhibitions change frequently, so even if you’ve visited the National Gallery before, you’ll find plenty of new inspiration. And if you want to take a masterpiece home, the gift shop has prints at very reasonable prices.
National Portrait Gallery
Washington, DC
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Through the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the National Portrait Gallery tells the story of America by presenting poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists who lives form our national identity. Over 23,000 items, from daguerreotypes to digital, reside here. You’ll see iconic portraits that you will recognize from studying history in school to current figures impacting our lives today. In 2006, the Portrait Gallery hosted the first Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition which continues to add exciting new works. Michelle Obama selected Amy Sherald, the 2016 winner of the Boochever prize, to paint her official portrait as First Lady.
In Explore! with the Portrait Gallery, kids can experiment with portraiture in an age-appropriate way to answer questions such as “How do I see myself?” and “How do others see me?” Young visitors can trace each other’s silhouettes, pose for a projected video art piece and experiment with expression and emotion by building faces out of illustrated blocks, having so much fun they might forget they are learning!
The National Quilt Collection at the National Museum of American History
Washington, DC
Quilt makers and quilt lovers alike will find inspiration at the National Quilt Collection within the National Museum of American History. The quilts are as unique as their makers and reflect their interests, family milestones, politics, societal concerns, war and peace.
The National Quilt Collection is more than your grandmother’s quilts. It includes quilts that tell the stories of people from all walks of life. Whether of rich or humble fabrics, large or small, expertly crafted or not, well-worn or pristine, quilts in the National Quilt Collection provide a textile narrative that reflects America’s complex and diverse history, including history in the making. Whether made to showcase a needleworker’s extraordinary skill or to express a political statement, the quilts will draw you in for a closer look.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Washington, DC
Girl Power! From the sweet maternal images of Mary Cassatt to the feminist work of Judy Chicago, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is the only major museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women in the arts. With the work of over 1,000 artists here and ten new exhibitions a year, both new and returning visitors have plenty of new art to explore. And if you find yourself intrigued by the work of a particular artist and simply must know more, the museum has an extensive research library. With an appointment, you can get expert assistance with your quest.
There is a nominal admission fee; free to members.
The Textile Museum
Washington, DC
On the Foggy Bottom campus of The George Washington University, The Textile Museum has a collection that spans some of the world’s finest textiles from the Americas and beyond, from current works to ancient.
For those who learn through touch, “Textiles 101,” a new permanent interactive exhibit at The Textile Museum. It explores how fiber, color and structure influence how textiles are made. You can enter the minds of designers to discover the creative choices that influence textile design.
Admission is free for museum members, children and current GW students, faculty and staff. But a suggested nominal donation for non-members will support the museum’s exhibitions, collections and educational programs.
The Lemon Collective
Washington, DC
If you’re looking for a hands-on maker experience, The Lemon Collective might just be your place. In this workshop space in Washington D.C., the city’s creative and curious gather to teach and learn new skills. Find them on Georgia Avenue NW in the Park View neighborhood. In addition to offering an eclectic collection of workshops, The Lemon Collective offers studio space. And if reaching out to the community is important to you, check out Lemon + Aid, a charitable initiative that brings awareness and support to deserving organizations, reaching out to the community and making it easy to be of service.
Torpedo Factory Art Center
Alexandria, VA
Founded in 1974 in an old munitions plant, the Torpedo Factory Art Center is home to the nation’s largest collection of working-artists’ open studios under one roof. As home to over 165 professional artists who work, exhibit and sell their art up close, in person, and in progress, it’s an example of how arts can revitalize a community, and it’s a place where you can score some great original art for yourself.
It’s been an Alexandria landmark for more than 40 years, (and, yes, until 1945 workers really made torpedoes there).
Art Enables
Washington, DC
For an art experience that goes beyond traditional boundaries, Art Enables is an art gallery and vocational arts program dedicated to creating opportunities for artists with disabilities. Here, artists build the skills, relationships, and experience necessary for a successful career in the arts. Art Enables offers their artists the creative space, materials, and marketing support they need to develop and succeed as professionals.
The artists are largely self-taught, so they tell honest, unfiltered, and powerful stories through their artwork. In addition to earning income from art sales, the artists achieve a sense of personal and professional accomplishment. So you won’t want to miss this gallery!
Plan your own bead shop hop in and around the Washington D.C. area!
Map out your own shop hop to find quilt and fabric shops in and around Washington DC!