WASHINGTON—Visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) for an exciting lineup of programs, from the popular after-hours series NMWA Nights; to Fresh Talk conversations about the fashion industry and the gender pay gap; to a series of hands-on workshops and informative tours. Step into the beautiful and fascinating world of Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750, the first exhibition to rewrite the art history of this culturally significant era from the perspective of women artists. Celebrate Black childhood and the reclamation of heritage with an exhibition of mixed-media photography by Baltimore-based artist Tawny Chatmon. Plus, two Free Community Days every month, a holiday Makers’ Market, and more.
The information below is current as of August 2025. All times listed are Eastern Time. For more information, visit the museum’s online calendar.
Highlights
NMWA Nights—September
Wednesday, September 17, 5:30 to 8 pm
Kick off the fall season of this monthly after-hours experience with an evening highlighting the concept of radical feminism, inspired by the museum’s three concurrent exhibitions of work by Niki de Saint Phalle, the Guerrilla Girls, and artists in the Women’s Studio Workshop. Add your voice to a community installation showcasing radical acts of community, tour decades of fearless art and activism, or spark your own inner revolution by speaking with tarot, palm, and lipsology (kiss mark reading) experts. Grab a cocktail to the sounds of DJ Tezrah or participate in hands-on art-making.
The first 100 visitors will receive a unique customized print created by Gloria Ann Shows, the artist behind Espiritu Press. Ticket includes two drinks; additional drinks for purchase. $25 general; $22 seniors/students; $20 NMWA members. Free for Explorer Members ($180+) and above. Reservations required; tickets go on sale September 3 at 10 am.
Opening Day: Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750
Friday, September 26, 10 am to 5 pm
This landmark exhibition showcases paintings, lace, prints, paper cuttings, embroidery, and sculpture by more than forty Dutch and Flemish women, including celebrated painters who excelled in a male-dominated field and unsung makers who created some of the most expensive lace of the day. Drawing on recent scholarship to demonstrate women’s contributions to the artistic economy, the show explores how women shaped the visual culture of the era. Free with admission. Reservations recommended.
Pilates Flexibility Fusion
Saturday, September 27, 9 to 10 am
Blend movement and mindfulness in an all-levels Pilates session set in the museum’s iconic, artfilled Great Hall. This empowering 60-minute mat-based class blends the deep core strengthening of Pilates with focused flexibility training to leave you feeling stronger and more connected to your body. Led by award-winning performer and movement specialist Kathryn Kelly, known for her viral Living Room Workouts. $20 general; $17 students/seniors/DC residents; $15 NMWA members. Reservations required.
Firsthand Experience: Paper-Cutting
Saturday, October 11, 11 am to 3 pm
Explore the art of paper-cutting in a hands-on workshop with Janelle Washington, an accomplished paper-cut and silhouette artist and an award-winning picture book illustrator whose practice explores themes of Black culture, history, identity, family, and beauty. Washington will introduce paper-cut techniques and guide participants in creating their own designs. Art supplies provided; no experience necessary. For ages 13 and older. $25 general; $22 students/seniors/DC residents; $20 NMWA members. Reservations required.
NMWA Nights—October
Wednesday, October 15, 5:30 to 8 pm
A special edition of NMWA’s monthly after-hours event celebrates the opening of Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies. Chatmon’s work dismantles racist myths and uplifts Black cultural truths. Meet the artist, take a tour, grab a cocktail, and channel your own story through a hands-on self-portrait art-making activity. DJ MIM’s genre-blending beats set the tone. Ticket includes two drinks; additional drinks for purchase. $25 general; $22 seniors/students; $20 NMWA members. Free for Explorer Members ($180+) and above. Reservations required; tickets go on sale on October 1 at 10 a.m.
Educator Workshop: Art21 x NMWA (Virtual)
Thursday, October 16, 7 to 8 pm
Learn about contemporary art with NMWA and Art21 in an exciting virtual collaboration tailored to educators. The workshop draws upon Art21’s award-winning documentary films and NMWA’s collection. Art21 is the world’s leading source to learn directly from the artists of our time. Free. Reservations required.
Flower Arranging Workshop
Sunday, October 19, 11 am to 1:30 pm
Presented in partnership with the creative, female-owned D.C. flower shop She Loves Me, this hands-on workshop draws joyful inspiration from the botanical drawings and paintings in Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750. Supplies provided; no experience necessary. For ages 13 and older. Details to be announced shortly. Reservations required.
Fresh Talk: Agency in Fashion
Tuesday, November 4, 6–8 p.m.
An insightful conversation between renowned designer Tracy Reese and journalist Whitney Bauck will explore the ways women are reclaiming economic agency in fashion by founding sustainable businesses, advocating for labor rights, and redefining ethical fashion from the ground up. From garment workers to entrepreneurs, women shape the labor, culture, and consumption that drive
fashion, yet they’ve historically been excluded from the industry’s economic and ethical decision making. Moderated by Rebecca Ballard, founder of The Fashion Connection, this program positions sustainability as a framework for justice and equity. Followed by a salon-style cocktail hour. $25 general; $22 seniors/students; $20 NMWA members. Reservations required.
Firsthand Experience: Lacemaking
November 8, 11 am to 3 pm
Inspired by work on view in Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750, visitors are invited to try their hand at lacemaking with Elena Kanagy-Loux, an expert lace historian, textile artist, and co-founder of the Brooklyn Lace Guild. She will introduce bobbin techniques and guide participants in creating a bookmark sampler featuring three foundational stitches of bobbin lacemaking. All supplies provided; no experience necessary. For ages 13 and older. $25 general; $22 students/seniors/DC residents; $20 NMWA members. Reservations required.
Fresh Talk: Hannah Williams & Tori Dunlap
Wednesday, December 3, 6 to 8 pm
Join us for a candid and empowering conversation about money, equity, and transparency with Hannah Williams, creator of Salary Transparent Street, and Tori Dunlap, founder of Her First $100K. Challenging long-standing taboos around money, Williams and Dunlap will unpack the deeprooted wage inequities that affect women across industries, with a focus on how these disparities
show up in the arts and cultural sectors. The program will explore financial literacy as a form of liberation and consider what it means to build an equitable life in an economy that has historically devalued women’s contributions. Followed by a salon-style cocktail hour. $25 general; $22 seniors/students; $20 NMWA members. Reservations required.
Makers’ Market
Sunday, December 7, 10 am to 4 pm
Join us for a holiday market featuring goods from women and gender-expansive vendors and artists. Shop handmade jewelry, art, ceramics and vintage finds in the museum’s Great Hall. The Makers’ Market takes place during a Free Community Day, so guests can visit the galleries for further inspiration, take a tour, or make art during Open Studio. Free. Reservations not required.
Special and Drop-In Tours
Tour: Celebrating Scary Season
Saturday, October 18, 12 to 12:45 pm
Celebrate Halloween early with a tour of eerie and enchanting selections from the museum’s
collection. Whether via subject matter or artist biography, consider what’s frightening, magical,
unsettling, or supernatural with NMWA’s art and artists. Free with admission. Registration required.
Tour: NMWA en Español
Saturday, November 15, 12 to 12:45 pm
Explora la colección del museo durante esta cautivadora visita interactiva en español. Esta experiencia guiada incluirá entre seis y ocho obras en exposición que celebran a artistas con vínculos tanto en Latinoamérica como en España. Entrada gratuita. Se requiere inscripción.
Explore the museum’s collection during this engaging, interactive Spanish-language tour. This guided experience features six to eight works on view celebrating artists with connections to Latin America and Spain. Free with admission. Registration required.
Tour: Celebrating Cozy Season
Saturday, December 20, 12 to 12:45 pm
Bundle up and gather round chilly selections from the museum’s collection. From autumnal vistas to wintry wonderlands, explore frigid settings, cool colors, seasonal fashion, and moments of comfort created by NMWA’s collection artists on this engaging tour. Free. Reservations Required.
Collection Highlights Tours
Daily—2 to 2:45 pm
Explore the museum’s collection during engaging, interactive drop-in tours that feature six to eight works on view. Free with admission. Reservations not required. Subject to docent availability.
Gallery Talks
Weekly—Wednesdays, 12 to 12:30 pm
Drop-in for thematic talks that highlight two to three works on view. Topics and locations in the museum vary. Free. Reservations not required. Subject to staff availability.
Private Group Tours
Upon request: Tuesday to Sunday at 11 am and 1 pm
Learn about the contributions of women artists on an engaging tour for visitors of all ages. Tours of the museum’s collection and exhibitions are expertly facilitated by docents and, with advance notice, can be adapted to fit the interests of each group. Visit this page for information and tour request forms.
Monthly Programs
Free Community Day
Sunday, September 7; Wednesday, September 10; Sunday, October 5; Wednesday, October 8; Sunday, November 2; Wednesday, November 12; Sunday, December 7; Wednesday, December 10; 10 am to 5 pm
Visit on the first Sunday and second Wednesday of each month for free museum admission. Explore the collection and current exhibitions, attend a tour or gallery talk, browse the reading room, and come to the studio for drop-in, all-ages art-making activities inspired by artworks on view. Activities and inspirations change each month. Free. Reservations required.
Art Chats (Virtual)
Fridays, September 26, October 24, 5 to 5:45 pm
On the fourth Friday of the month, experience the museum from home and jumpstart your weekend with art. Join NMWA educators online for informal 45-minute art chats about selected artworks in the collection. Each session will consider a new selection of artworks. Free. Reservations required. Registration opens by the 20th of the preceding month.
Looking Ahead to 2026
NMWA as a destination during America 250
Throughout 2026
As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, NMWA will present a special installation of historical American paintings from the museum’s collection, share stories of diverse women and non-binary artists from across the United States, and feature an exhibition of contemporary pottery made by Indigenous Pueblo artists. Details to be announced shortly.
Women’s History Month
March 1 to 31, 2026
NMWA will mark Women’s History Month with a diverse series of programs on International Women’s Day (Sunday, March 8, 2026) and throughout the entire month. The celebration will also include in-person and virtual opportunities for advocacy around gender equity in the arts. Details to be announced shortly.
Exhibitions
Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750
Sep 26, 2025, to Jan 11, 2026
Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies
Oct 15, 2025, to Mar 8, 2026
A Radical Alteration: Women’s Studio Workshop as a Sustainable Model for Art Making
Guest curated by Maymanah Farhat
Through Sep 28, 2025
Guerrilla Girls: Making Trouble
Through Sep 28, 2025
Niki de Saint Phalle In Print
Through Nov 30, 2025
Ruth Orkin
Dec 12, 2025, to Mar 29, 2026
Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Foundation
Guest curated by Cecilia Alemani
Feb 20 to Jul 26, 2026
Remix: The Collection
Ongoing
Information
Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; Closed Mondays and select holidays
Location: 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, two blocks north of Metro Center
Admission: $16 for adults, $13 for D.C. residents, visitors 65 and older, students and educators, active-duty military and veterans, and visitors with a Native/Tribal Affiliation; free for visitors 21 and younger, visitors with disabilities, and holders of a SNAP/EBT card. Admission is free the first Sunday and second Wednesday of each month.
Contact: nmwa.org, 202-783-5000
To request access services: accessibility@nmwa.org
Social Media: Broad Strokes blog, Facebook or Instagram
For more news about the National Museum of Women in the Arts, visit the press room.
Media Contact
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Katrina Weber Ashour, kweber@nmwa.org