Urgent Museum Notice

CHAMPION WOMEN THROUGH THE ARTS

Gallery view of black-and-white photographs hung against blue walls. Gallery view of black-and-white photographs hung against blue walls.

Now on View

Explore Mary Ellen Mark’s depiction of girls and young women throughout her career. The modern iconic photographer created compassionate and candid portraits of subjects living outside of mainstream society.

View Current Exhibitions

Visit Us

Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., the National Museum of Women in the Arts brings recognition to the achievements of women artists of all periods and nationalities.

Plan Your Visit

View our visitor guidelines

We are open today from 10 am to 5 pm

Front-facing photograph of the building exterior with green doors, posts, and tree.
  • Night view of city street shows a large sculpture made of eight half-tires arranged into stacked hourglass shapes. Engravings, gold leaf, and green light on the interior of the tires decorate the structure. Light trails from cars frame the sculpture on both sides.
  • Oblique view of gallery with a Baroque painting of the Madonna and Child in a gilded frame on magenta wall at right. In the distance, three more framed works hang on the same wall. Painting on the adjacent white wall is of a reclining figure with a bandage on chest.
  • Two young children with medium skin tone stand in front of a dog sculpture covered with green crochet panels. One child stands with hands on hips, eyes turned to look directly at the viewer, and gives a slight smirk. Adult visitors in the background look at the scene with amusement.
Space to Soar: Building Renovation and Capital Campaign
Now is the time to renovate our landmark building that stands as a beacon and a flagship for women artists and advocates worldwide.

NMWA Campaign

Help us restore, revitalize, and reimagine our iconic home in Washington, D.C. Support our ambitious $66 million campaign.

Learn More About the Building Project
Old color, front-facing photograph of the museum exterior from 1984.

Related Quote

Great art should be viewed, valued, and supported especially work by women.”
NMWA Member

Support Women in the Arts

NMWA Members help us lead the way for women in the arts. Join as a member today and save with limited-time discounts.

Become a Member , opens in new tab 
A light-skinned woman with short dark hair, wearing a mask, leans forward to look at a series of sculptures made from colorful paper. There is an installation of paper feet on the wall behind her.
Photo credit: Kevin Allen

Photo credit: Kevin Allen

Related Quote

People in the art world want to think we are achieving parity more quickly than we are.”
Susan Fisher Sterling, The Alice West Director

Advocate for Women

Women artists have been marginalized for centuries. Gender bias is less overt today, but contemporary women artists still face many obstacles and disparities, as well as persistent underrepresentation in museum collections and exhibitions worldwide. Their historical precursors still deserve to have their stories told.

Take Action
Close-up photograph of a painted quilt shows a medium-dark skinned woman dancing exuberantly. There is a white flower in her hair, and she wears dangling gold earrings and gold loops around her neck.
Faith Ringgold, American Collection #4: Jo Baker’s Bananas (detail), 1997; Photo credit: Emily Haight, NMWA

Faith Ringgold, American Collection #4: Jo Baker’s Bananas (detail), 1997; Photo credit: Emily Haight, NMWA

Explore Things to Do @ NMWA

  • Collection Highlights Talk

    Date: Jul, 24
    Time: 1 to 2 pm

  • Virtual Educator Summer Camp: Pop-Up Architecture

    Date: Jul, 26
    Time: 10 to 11:30 am

  • Virtual Happy Hour: Judith Leyster Birthday Celebration

    Date: Jul, 28
    Time: 5:30 to 6:30 pm

  • Virtual Educator Summer Camp: Tunnel Books

    Date: Jul, 28
    Time: 10 to 11:30 am

  • Virtual Educator Summer Camp: #5WomenArtists Trivia

    Date: Jul, 30
    Time: 10 to 11:30 am

  • Art Chat @ Five: Cabinet of Curiosities

    Date: Jul, 30
    Time: 5 to 5:45 pm

  • Free Community Day

    Date: Aug, 01
    Time: 12 to 8 pm

  • Closing Week

    Date: Aug, 02
    Time: 10 am to 8 pm

  • Closing Week

    Date: Aug, 03
    Time: 10 am to 8 pm
    • View Calendar

    Featured Blog Post

    Art Fix Friday: July 23, 2021

    UN Women hosts A Force for Change, an all-Black, all-women exhibition and online auction; Kandis Williams wins the Hammer Museum’s $100,000 Mohn Award; and more.
    View of the museum from outside showing the Neoclassical building from one corner. The building is a tan-colored stone with an arched doorway, long vertical windows, and detailed molding around the roof.
    Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Margaret Bourke-White, ca. 1940; Gelatin silver print, 10 x 10 1/2 in.; NMWA, Gift of Helen Cumming Ziegler; Photograph by Louise Dahl-Wolfe © 1989 Center for Creative Photography, Arizona Board of Regents
    @WomenInTheArts