United States
District of Columbia (DC)
Washington DC
Things to do in Washington DC
National Gallery of Art

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC: Hours, Address, National Gallery of Art Reviews: 5/5

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National Gallery of Art

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National Gallery of Art
5
9,210
#5 of 491 things to do in Washington DC
Art Museums
11:00 - 16:00
Monday
11:00 - 16:00
Tuesday
11:00 - 16:00
Wednesday
11:00 - 16:00
Thursday
11:00 - 16:00
Friday
11:00 - 16:00
Saturday
11:00 - 16:00
Sunday
11:00 - 16:00
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About
We belong to you. The National Gallery of Art—the nation’s museum—preserves, collects, exhibits, & fosters understanding of works of art.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Upper Northwest
How to get there
  • Archives • 5 min walk
  • L'Enfant Plaza • 8 min walk
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
2,970 within 5 kms
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0.4 km€€€€ • Indian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
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2,063
0.2 km€€€€ • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly • Gluten Free Options
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447
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b DC Penn Quarter
750
0.4 km€€ - €€€ • American • Bar • Gastropub
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2,133
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228
0.5 km€ • Dessert
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771
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1,286
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Attractions
572 within 10 kms
National Air and Space Museum
23,325
0.4 kmSpeciality Museums
National Gallery of Art - Sculpture Garden
571
0.3 kmArt Galleries • Parks
National Mall
8,283
0.3 kmHistoric Walking Areas • Parks
The National Archives Museum
3,490
0.3 kmSpeciality Museums
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
12,230
0.5 kmNatural History Museums
United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center
194
0.4 kmSpeciality Museums • Monuments & Statues
Major General Winfield Scott Hancock Statue
24
0.3 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
National Law Enforcement Museum
153
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Apex Building
3
0.3 kmArchitectural Buildings
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Popular mentions
5.0
9,210 reviews
Excellent
7,598
Very good
1,336
Average
206
Poor
48
Terrible
22
simonalamona
Guadalajara, Mexico97 contributions
Amazing museum
Sep 2021
Huge, amazing museum with an overwhelming collection of art from all periods, from all around the world. Being free entry, it is even better and connected to the modern art section, this is a must even if you do not like art: at least take 2 hrs to wander around and soak yourself in art. The building itself is beautiful from the inside. You could easily spend the whole day here.
Written 17 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Beth43323
Minneapolis, MN63 contributions
Enjoy the vast deep collection!
Oct 2021 • Couples
This is superb! It had been over 20 years since I visited. I’d forgotten what a huge collection of Impressionist paintings (including more than a dozen Monets) are in the collection plus masters including Rembrandts and a Leonardo DaVinci portrait…Go and enjoy the free Gallery ap too that helps orient you and gets you to your desired galleries. Check it out and read some of the text on artwork in the days before you go. The Gallery is open and free!!
Written 9 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MrGaucho1987
Santa Barbara, CA876 contributions
Of course, It's Epic. Here are some tips.
Sep 2021
It's huge and packed with pictures you see in art history books. You could spend untold hours here. I recommend an hour or so to soak up the art then move on...unless, of course, you really love pictures. Wear comfortable shoes. Hydrate. It might bore younger children so plan accordingly. Come in by metro or add it to your mall tour.
Written 1 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
crnd
Clarksville, TN113 contributions
All of the Masters and None of the Crowds
Sep 2021
As far as the artists you want to see, they're all here. Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Dali, Pollock, Warhol, from the old masters to the modern, they're all here. The collection is as high end as high end gets. What really makes the experience however, is the lack of crowds.

See the photo attached to this review for contrast. On the left is da Vinci's Ginevra de Benci, as seen at the National Gallery of Art during my September weekday visit. This is the only da Vinci painting on public display in the Americas, and is on most anyone's short list of da Vinci's best. You can walk right up, examine it closely and by yourself. On the right is the Mona Lisa, as seen at the Louvre. Needless to say, it's a very different experience, with much, much better viewing opportunities at the National Gallery of Art.

The lack of crowds combined with the high end collections of "names you know" makes this experience nearly unbeatable. And if that wasn't enough, it's all free....
Written 27 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Melvin
7 contributions
Best in Country for overview of history and types of paintings
Sep 2021
I have been to all the major art galleries in the country and this is my favorite. It shows the long history of painting, the development of perspective, the transition to landscapes and ordinary life, the incorporation of emotion, the evolution of colr from impressionism to modern art.
It is great to just wander and be amazed of how collectively humans have learned to paint and evolved our collective styles.
Written 20 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MeryandLeo
Austin, TX378 contributions
I FOUND NEW EXCELLENT FEATURES
Sep 2021
The first day I visited the Gallery, I follow with the App the Italian collection! The Second day I dedicated the visit to the French; deep in the impressionniste collection. The third day I was in the Dutch and Britain rooms. With the help of a very good WiFi and the Gallery App I took an excellent course on the history of Art.
Written 13 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Critiqueness
Yorktown, VA764 contributions
Awesome!
Sep 2021
What a splendid work of art! A 'huge' variety of different forms of art including varied time periods of multiple paintings from each artist and sculptures. There is a West Building and an East Building, a garden/courtyard, a study room, a cafe, a gift shop, and a must-get app to guide you through your journey! Galleries are set up in a maze form, so keep your map handy. Don't be rushed with limited time, prepare to spend the day! A great learning experience.
Written 3 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Les M
Cincinnati, OH378 contributions
Wow!!!
Aug 2021
I was blown away by the depth and breadth of the collection! I've been to DC 4 times now and I wish I would have discovered this place sooner! It's truly amazing. Even the building itself is a work of art.

The museum has 2 buildings. The West building is the main attraction. I move through museums very quickly and I spent more than 2.5 hours here just to see the highlights! To see everything would take at least 1 full day. Downloading the app really helped me navigate the museum (much more so than the paper map). All of the rooms/collections can be maze-like.

Like the Smithsonian museums, the NGA is free. They have a decent cafe in the underground tunnel that connects the East and West buildings. That maybe the best place to eat on the National Mall (except for Mitisam Cafe).

The East building is much smaller and has a focus on Modern Art. I thought they'd have more Warhol, but they had good pieces from Jackson Pollock and Picasso. I spent about an hour here and saw it all (moving quickly).

Also be sure to leave some time to tour the sculpture garden - it's very pretty.

If you like art, check out the NGA - its a special place!
Written 2 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Martin H
Hong Kong, China410 contributions
One of the Best Art Galleries in the World
Aug 2021
I've visited many of the great European art museums but this ranks right at the top. What astounded me was the number of masters' paintings the Gallery contains; for each artist they had multiple works. In Europe they may only have two of three pieces on display per artist.

The artwork is well laid out and the rooms not cluttered with pieces. The actual building itself is beautiful too.

They could do with more work by 20th century artists such as Miro and Picasso but Rothko gets good coverage.

I great place to spend a few hours.
Written 29 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
blairkk25
New Jersey2,469 contributions
Fantastic Visit
Aug 2021
I visited the National Gallery of Art in August 2021. I went to the West Building but not the East Building. I focused on the Main Floor which has 90 galleries (rooms). I obtained a map from the information desk. The collection of paintings and art is fantastic with paintings by Italian, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, French, English, American artists. There was a rich collection of Renaissance art and decent collection of Impressionists. There were paintings by Botticelli, Veronese, Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, Goya and many more. I also enjoyed seeing 5 presidential portraits (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe). I also liked the courtyards. I spent two hours here and I could have spent more. It was not overly crowded compared to the Smithsonian museums.
Written 20 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art is open:
  • Sun - Sat 11:00 - 16:00
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