Smithsonian Institution 2 in the United States

See:

• Smithsonian Institution
• Smithsonian Institution 3
• Smithsonian Institution 4
• Smithsonian Institution 5

Freer Gallery of Art

The building, the original collection, and an endowment were the gift of Charles Lang Freer
(1854–1919). The Gallery houses one of the world’s most renowned collections
of Asian art, an important group of ancient Egyptian glass, early Christian
manuscripts, and works by 19th- and early 20th-century American artists. The
objects in the Asian collection represent the arts of East Asia, the Near East, and
South and Southeast Asia, including paintings, manuscripts, scrolls, screens,
ceramics, metalwork, glass, jade, lacquer, and sculpture. Members of the
staff conduct research on objects in the collection and publish results in scholarly
journals and books for general and scholarly audiences.

For further information, contact the Freer Gallery
of Art, Jefferson Drive at Twelfth Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20560. Phone, 202–633–1000.
Internet, http://www.asia.si.edu.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

From cubism to minimalism, the Museum houses major collections of modern and contemporary art. The nucleus of the collection is the gift and bequest of Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899–1981). Supplementing the permanent
collection are loan exhibitions. The Museum houses a collection research
facility, a specialized art library, and a photographic archive, available for
consultation by prior appointment. The outdoor sculpture garden is located
nearby on the National Mall. There is an active program of public service
and education, including docent tours, lectures on contemporary art and artists,
and films of historic and artistic interest.

For further information, contact the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20560.
Phone, 202–633–1000. Internet, http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu.

National Air and Space Museum

Created to memorialize the development and achievements of aviation and space
flight, the Museum collects, displays, and preserves aeronautical and space flight
artifacts of historical significance as well as documentary and artistic materials
related to air and space. Among its artifacts are full-size planes, models, and
instruments. Highlights of the collection include the Wright brothers’ Flyer,
Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, a Moon rock, and Apollo spacecraft. The
exhibitions and study collections record the human conquest of the air from
its beginnings to recent achievements.

The principal areas in which work is concentrated include flight craft of
all types, space flight vehicles, and propulsion systems. The Museum’s IMAX
Theater and the 70-foot domed Einstein Planetarium are popular attractions. The
Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, at Washington Dulles International
Airport, opened in December 2003. Its featured artifacts include a space shuttle
and the Enola Gay B–29 World War II bomber.

For further information, contact the National Air and Space Museum, Sixth Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20560. Phone, 202–633–1000. Internet, http://www.nasm.si.edu.

National Museum of African Art

This is the only art museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to portraying
the creative visual traditions of Africa. Its research components, collection,
exhibitions, and public programs establish the Museum as a primary source
for the examination and discovery of the arts and culture of Africa. The collection
includes works in wood, metal, fired clay, ivory, and fiber. The Eliot Elisofon
Photographic Archives includes slides, photos, and film segments on Africa.
There is also a specialized library.

For further information, contact the National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20560. Phone, 202–633–1000. Internet, http://www.nmafa.si.edu.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Museum was established in 2003 and will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture.

For further information, contact the National Museum of African American History and Culture, 470 L’Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20560. Phone, 202–633–1000. Internet, http://www.nmaahc.si.edu.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

The Museum’s art collection spans centuries of American painting, sculpture,  folk art, photography, and graphic art. A major center for research in American art, the Museum has contributed to such resources as the Inventory of American Paintings Executed Before 1914; the Smithsonian Art Index; and the Inventory of American Sculpture. The library, shared with the National Portrait Gallery, contains volumes on art, history, and biography, with special emphasis on the United States. The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture is home to both the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. Hundreds of images from the collection and extensive information on its collections, publications, and activities are available electronically at www.saam.si.edu.

For further information, contact the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and G Streets NW., Washington, DC 20560. Phone, 202–633–1000. Internet, http://www.americanart.si.edu.