January 14, 2026

1/14/26

WASHINGTON—Visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) for an exciting lineup of events in 2026, from the monthly after-hours series NMWA Nights to workshops, tours and artist conversations. Building on decades of advocacy against gender inequity, the museum will mark Women’s History Month in March. Experience 80 years of abstract art by women with Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection, explore groundbreaking documentary photographer Ruth Orkin and enjoy an installation of historical paintings by American artists to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Plus, two Free Community Days every month, a Makers’ Market and more.

The information below is current as of January 2026; times listed are EST. For details, visit the museum’s online calendar.

Highlights

NMWA Nights—January
Wednesday, January 21, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Enjoy a fresh start to the New Year with a NMWA Nights all about renewal and connection. This month’s after-hours hours program features gallery tours, cocktails, an inspiring vision board collage-making activity and meetups led by NMWA staff to build professional connections, all to the smooth sounds of Les the DJ. Help others get a fresh start by bringing items for a donation drive in partnership with Suited for Change, a nonprofit providing professional attire and career support to women entering the workforce. Tickets go on sale on January 7.

Educator Workshop: Art21 x NMWA
Wednesday, February 4, 7 to 8 p.m.
Join a virtual workshop that draws on Art21’s award-winning documentary films and NMWA’s collection to investigate the connections between materials and meaning in contemporary portraiture. Art21 is the world’s leading source for learning directly from artists of our time. Free. Registration required; registration will open January 1.

NMWA Nights—February
Wednesday, February 18, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Honoring Black History Month, the February edition of NMWA’s extended hours event is dedicated to creating impactful connections. Tour the galleries, grab a cocktail and learn about Black women artists through an interactive museum-wide bingo game. Create art that honors your culture, taking inspiration from the exhibition Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies. DJ Precious Layne will set the vibe for the ever-popular speed-friending in partnership with We Met IRL. Tickets go on sale on February 4.

Women’s History Month Kickoff: Be Heard Poster Wall and Free Community Day
Sunday, March 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kick off Women’s History Month with a hands-on wheat pasting activity around gender equity. Add your voice to an interactive poster wall and see what others in the community are passionate about. This is a fun, all-ages way to speak up and be part of a creative action that brings community voices to public spaces. Materials provided. The Free Community Day includes no-cost entry, an Open Studio for drop-in art making, tours, and more. Free. Advance registration suggested.

NMWA Advocates: Righting the Balance
Wednesday, March 4, 6 to 7 p.m.
In this members-only online presentation, learn how NMWA champions women artists beyond its physical walls. Join museum staff for a virtual celebration of the tenth anniversary of #5WomenArtists and the announcement of the museum’s newest advocacy initiative. Launched in 2016 to advance gender equity in the arts, #5WomenArtists has been a viral success, with individuals and institutional partners, resulting in tangible, real-world impacts for artists and arts organizations. Members only. Registration required.

NMWA Unframed: Aluminate the Night
Friday, March 6, 8:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Celebrate ten years of the award-winning social media campaign #5WomenArtists with a tenth anniversary, aluminum -themed bash. An exclusive VIP Experience begins at 7 p.m. featuring art world luminaries, an open bar, private art performance and more. The party continues at 8:30 p.m. with a dazzling lineup of live music, DJ sets, a costume contest and pop-up art activations. Includes lite bites, beer and wine. Tickets required, space limited.

Firsthand Experience: Fiber
Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Be inspired by the inventive ways artists incorporate fiber into their work in the exhibition Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection. Materials provided; no experience necessary. For ages 13 and older. Reservations required.

International Women’s Day Yoga and Film Screening
Sunday, March 8, Throughout the day
Kick-start International Women’s Day with an all-levels yoga flow session from 9 to 10 a.m. surrounded by artwork in our iconic Great Hall (ticketed). That afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m., join a free screening of Tamara: The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & the Art of Survival (2024), a captivating documentary that traces the life of one of the most iconic and unconventional artists of the 20th century. Reservations required.

Special Installation: Historical paintings by American women artists
Friday, March 13 to Sunday, October 11
As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, NMWA presents a special installation of historical paintings by American women artists from the museum’s collection, including Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, Cecilia Beaux, Ellen Day Hale, Clementine Hunter, Lilla Cabot Perry, Sarah Miriam Peale, Anna Claypoole Peale, Jane Peterson, Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson Moses), and Lilly Martin Spencer. Free with admission.

The Big Draw
Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NMWA collaborates with colleagues the National Building Museum for a day of hands-on art making. Takes place at the National Building Museum. Free. Registration required.

NMWA Nights—March
Wednesday, March 18, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The March edition of the museum’s monthly after-hours experience, NMWA Nights, features a unique collaboration with Expand the Canon, a non-profit that uncovers and uplifts classic plays by women and underrepresented genders. Peruse the galleries, grab a cocktail, listen to a pop-up performance or monologue amidst works of art, or participate in art-making activities. Reservations required; tickets go on sale on March 4.

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon: Photojournalism
March 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Through a long-standing partnership with Wikimedia DC, the museum’s annual Wikipedia Edit-a-thon aims to close information gaps related to gender and the arts. In celebration of Ruth Orkin: Women on the Move, this year participants will edit the pages of women photojournalists. No experience necessary. Tutorials, reference materials, internet access and refreshments are provided; please bring a laptop. Free. Registration required.

Firsthand Experience: Poetry
Saturday, April 4, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Coinciding with National Poetry Month, experience the expressive and restorative powers of poetry through a hands-on creative workshop for ages 13 and up. Explore the exhibition Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection to gather inspiration for your own poems while learning about featured artists who also embraced the written word. All materials will be provided; no experience necessary.

Slow Art Day
Saturday, April 11, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Slow Art Day is an international movement founded in 2010 to encourage people of all ages to look at art slowly. NMWA educators will provide a selection of art to consider along with slow-looking prompts. Come alone or with friends, then join an in-person conversation facilitated by a NMWA educator and learn more about the selected artworks.

VTS Look Club: NMWA Residency
Wednesday, April 15, 3 to 4 p.m.
Join NMWA educators for a virtual experience, part of the museum’s 2025 to 2026 residency with Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) Look Club Online. NMWA educators facilitate broad and open-ended discussions on works from NMWA’s collection. Visual Thinking Strategies is a research-based education nonprofit that believes thoughtful, facilitated discussion of art activates transformational learning accessible to all.

NMWA Nights—April
Wednesday, April 15, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Experience Earth Day at NMWA with a sustainable fashion show in the Great Hall as part of the museum’s monthly after-hours experience. Peruse the galleries, grab a cocktail, listen to a performance, attend a tour or participate in art-making activities. Two drink tickets are included with admission. Tickets go on sale on April 1.

Firsthand Experience: Movement
Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Engage your body and mind in movement and art-making activities inspired by the exhibition Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection. All materials will be provided; no experience necessary.

Makers’ Market
Sunday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us for a unique pop-up market. Co-curated by NMWA and SAMASAMA, a collective dedicated to celebrating diasporic narratives through art, the market will feature a lineup of women and gender-expansive makers, artists and vendors offering handmade jewelry, art, ceramics and vintage finds. The Makers’ Market takes place during a Free Community Day, so guests can easily continue on to the galleries for further inspiration, take a tour, or make art during Open Studio. Free. Reservations not required.

NMWA Nights—May
Wednesday, May 20, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Join us on the third Wednesday evening of each month for a creative and engaging after-hours experience. Peruse the galleries, grab a cocktail, listen to a performance, attend a tour, or participate in art-making activities. Two drink tickets are included with admission; additional beverages and food are available for purchase. Tickets go on sale on May 6.

Special and Drop-In Tours

Tour: Verbal Description
Saturday, January 17; 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Explore the museum’s collection through verbal description and discussion in a special tour designed for visitors who are blind or have low vision. During this guided experience, slow down and consider four artworks highlighting the creative contributions of artists from the 16th century to today. The speakers will describe themselves and key visual elements in selected artworks. Free with admission. Registration required.

Tour: Celebrating Connection
Saturday, February 21; 12 to 12:45 p.m.
Discover close and surprising connections between artists represented in NMWA’s collection. Friends, mentors, muses, and more! On this engaging, interactive tour, explore how artists from the museum’s collection are connected to one another and their subjects. Free with admission. Registration required.

Tour: NMWA en Français
Saturday, March 21, 12 to 12:45 p.m.
Découvrez la collection du musée pendant cette visite interactive et captivante en français. Cette expérience guidée présentera entre cinq à sept œuvres et mettra en valeur des artistes liées aux communautés francophones du monde entier.
Explore the museum’s collection during this engaging, interactive French-language tour. This guided experience features five to seven works on view celebrating artists with connections to Francophone communities around the world. Free with admission. Registration required.

#5WomenArtists Tour: Photography
Saturday, April 18, 12 to 12:45 p.m.
Can you name five women photographers? Join us to add new artists to your list. This experience will explore how artists have used photography, whether staged, candid, or manipulated, to realize their artistic visions. On this engaging, interactive tour, look closely and explore NMWA’s photography collection. Free with admission. Registration required.

#5WomenArtists Tour: Advocacy
Saturday, May 16, 12 to 12:45 p.m.
Can you name five women artist-activists? Join us to add new trailblazers to your list. Art can change hearts and minds, spreading messages of hope, equity and justice. Come to explore the ways artists have used their creativity to draw attention, raise awareness and spark conversation. Free with admission. Registration required.

Collection Highlights Tours
Daily—2 to 2:45 p.m.
Explore the museum’s collection during engaging drop-in tours that feature six to eight works on view. Free with admission. Reservations not required. Subject to availability.

Gallery Talks
Weekly —Wednesdays, 12 to 12:30 p.m.
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 a.m. and 1 p.m.
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
Weds, Jan 14; Sun, Feb 1; Weds, Feb 11, Sun, Mar 1; Weds, Mar 11; Sun, Apr 5; Weds, Apr 8; Sun, May 3; Weds, May 13; Sun, Jun 7; Weds, Jun 10; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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 recommended.

Art Chats (Virtual)
Friday, Jan 9, Jan 23, Feb 13, Feb 27, Mar 13, Mar 27, Apr 10, Apr 24, May 8; 5 to 5:45 p.m.
On the second and fourth Fridays of most months, 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 the 20th of the prior month.