Visiting a museum during the weekend or weekday can be a wonderful way to unwind after rigorous study. The museums along the National Mall are only a short metro ride away from WIS and offer a comfortably compact arrangement of choices. Within the general vicinity, students can visit the National Gallery of Art showcasing both modern and historical works, the Natural History Museum, the American Indian Museum, the Hirshhorn, the African American Museum of History and Culture, and more.
Below is a list of upcoming and current exhibits in the area worth visiting. All of the museums are located along the Mall and close enough to visit directly after school.
| What | Where | When | Hours | Why Visit |
| Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Pulse | The Hirshhorn Museum | Nov 8 – Jan 27, 2019 | 10 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. daily | Mexican Canadian artist Rafael Lozano- Hemmer uses technology to create an interactive art experience through data collection and abstract portraiture. In one branch of Pulse, the ceiling is scattered with oscillating light bulbs. Each visitor can contribute to the art piece by clasping the heart rate sensor, which records and reflects their pulse through a light bulb along the installation. Another branch of Pulse records participants fingerprints and displays them along a screen wall, along with all the other visitors’ fingerprints.
“At a time when biometry is increasingly used for identification and control, this data constitutes a new way of representing both anonymity and community.” Story continues below advertisement
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| Rachel Whiteread
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National Gallery of Art
(East Building) |
Now – January 13, 2019 | 10 – 5 P.M. Daily | British sculptor Rachel Whiteread creates large and small-scale works in resin, concrete, rubber, plaster, and paper. The works displayed are the best pieces of her 30-year career. Her pieces use everyday objects, places, interiors, and public spaces to create industrial sculptures and pieces.
“Whiteread has effectively recast the memories of these locations and objects to chart the seismic changes in how we live.”
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| Dawoud Bey: The Birmingham Project
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National Gallery of Art
(East building) |
Now – March 24, 2019 | 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. Daily | African American artist Dawoud Bey targets ongoing national racism, discrimination, and violence towards the African American community with a series of portraits. The exhibit is a tribute to those who suffered in the 16th street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Bey creates diptychs of youth and the elderly to show injustices.
“Devoid of people, these views poeticize the innocent lives ripped apart by violence.”
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| Day of the Dead After Hours | American Indian Museum | October 26, 2018 | 6:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. | The museum will open late for a free event involving dancing, food, drinks, and immersion in the tradition of Día de los Muertos. |
| Americans
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American Indian Museum | Now – 2022 | 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. Daily | This exhibit brings together the objects and symbols of contemporary American life that exploit American Indians. The image of a Native American has been construed to logos, mascots, television, and other forms of marketing and entertainment that are inherently racist. By putting together a dense collection of objects with symbols of cultural appropriation, the exhibit opens our eyes to the exploitation of Native Americans that we perpetuate.
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| Watching Oprah | National Museum of African American History and Culture | Now – June 2019 | 10 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. Daily | This exhibit explores the impact of Oprah Winfrey’s wildly popular show on American society, and its impact on the African Americans’ treatment and Oprah herself. The name Oprah now remains for American culture as a symbol of success, leadership, and empowerment, especially for African American women. The exhibit features highlights and key interviews that Oprah has made throughout her career in three sections “America Shapes Oprah,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and “Oprah Shapes America.”
“As an African American woman who founded her own media company and became a cultural icon watched by millions of viewers around the world, Winfrey harnessed the power of the media to break down barriers, empower herself, and inspire others.”
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By Pasha Wilson
