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Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month in Washington, DC
Check out the reopened National Museum of Women in the Arts The only museum solely dedicated to championing women through the arts has reopened its doors with improved interior and exterior spaces, new mechanical systems, enhanced amenities and accessibility, enlarged gallery space and additional research and education space. More Information National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 Picturing Women Inventors – Ongoing The National Museum of American History celebrates women inventors who have been overlooked or undervalued in U.S. society. The exhibit highlights the accomplishments, challenges and motivations of some of the most important inventors of the 20th- and 21st-century. Visitors can marvel at wall murals (with text in English and Spanish) and the creativity and inspiration of women inventors. 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free admission National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560 Dorothea Lange: Seeing People – Through March 31 The National Gallery of Art showcases roughly 100 images from one of the greatest photographers ever live in a new exhibit on Dorothea Lange. Seeing People will examine Lange’s prolific and trailblazing career through the lens of portraiture and her exceptional ability to capture the character, resilience, heartbreak, joy, wonder and beauty of her human subjects. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free admission National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC First Ladies and Iconic Global Women in Fashion - Through March 31 FASHIONPHILE, the leader in pre-owned ultra-luxury, and Hotel Washington, a historic hotel situated steps from the White House lawn and National Mall, have curated a special exhibit to be on display in the hotel’s stunning lobby. Visitors can observe a history of style while exploring the handbags and accessories of the world's leading ladies, from Jackie O to Princess Diana. The interactive exhibit will feature QR codes to shop for similar items on FASHIONPHILE. More Information Hotel Washington, 515 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004 The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration – Through April 28 The Smithsonian American Art Museum features 200 varieties of orchids in the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard during a special exhibition. Organized by Smithsonian Gardens in collaboration with the U.S. Botanic Garden, visitors can admire living collections and a series of newly commissioned and loaned paintings and sculptures by multimedia artist Phaan Howng. The exhibit also highlights the challenges facing wild orchids today and examines the work done by conservationists to protect the flower. 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004 Jessica Diamond: Wheel of Life – Through June 2 One of America’s greatest conceptual artists presents her largest museum installation to date at the Hirshhorn. Wheel of Life fills the museum’s second-floor, inner-circle galleries with 15 text-and-image-based works that highlight Diamond’s inventiveness. Much of the work on display reflects on Diamond’s stunning 40-year career as an artist. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Free admission Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue & 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20560 Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas – Through June 2 Alma Thomas, who lived in DC and worked at Howard University for many years, developed a style all her own as a painter. She took to abstract painting late in her own life and at a crucial period in the country’s history, as political turmoil dramatically impacted the mid-1960s. The Smithsonian American Art Museum, which possesses the largest public collection of Thomas’ art, will offer an intimate look at her creative evolution from 1959 to 1978 through her signature color-driven pieces. 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004 Jennifer Bartlett: In and Out of the Garden – Feb. 10 – April 30 One of the most ambitious projects of Jennifer Bartlett’s career is the centerpiece of the latest exhibit at The Phillips Collection. During a 1979-80 winter stay at a friend’s rented house in Nice, France, Bartlett embarked on what would turn into a years-long quest to depict a small, rundown garden on the property from literally hundreds of perspectives. Known for her rigorous combination of mathematical elements, abstract expressionism and minimalism, Bartlett’s artistic interpretations of the garden evolved from freehand drawings to paintings on steel plates, canvas and glass, many of which are featured in the exhibition. Hours & Admission The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 Where We Belong – Feb. 15 – March 10 Debuted virtually to DC audiences in 2021, this one-woman piece comes home after a successful national tour. In association with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, the Folger Theatre hosts Mohegan theatre-maker Madeline Sayet’s riveting tale. Set in 2015, Where We Belong follows Sayet on a voyage to England to pursue a PhD in Shakespeare. She finds a country that will not acknowledge its own role in colonialism just as the Brexit vote is set to occur. Madeline’s story echoes the journey taken by her ancestors in the 1700s following treatise betrayals in the U.S. and in turn, presents what it means to live and belong in a world increasingly globalized. Tickets Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington DC 20003 Tempestuous Elements – Feb. 16 – March 17 Arena Stage's February marquee reveals the struggle of Anna Julia Cooper, a Black teacher who fought for her students’ rights to an advanced curriculum. In a scandal concocted by the government, her time as principal of DC's historic M Street School was sabotaged by her colleagues and neighbors. Witness the journey of this formidable Black feminist’s fight for educational equity and legitimacy at the turn of the 20th century. Tickets Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Ways to Commemorate the Women's Suffrage Centennial in Washington, DC
A major moment in the women’s suffrage movement occurred right here in Washington, DC when the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Procession took place on Pennsylvania Avenue. Thousands joined in protest to march for the right to vote, including speakers like Helen Keller, as well as both male and female African American students from Howard University. The march built the momentum that would eventually culminate in earning women the right to vote. This year, numerous DC museums and institutions are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment by Congress on June 4, 1919, which gave women the right to vote in the United States for the first time. Although it was not ratified until Aug. 18, 1920 and African American women were denied voting rights in many Southern states until 1965, this centennial remains a monumental moment in the history of women’s rights. As the center of democracy, the nation's capital played a major role in helping to advance the freedoms of women then, and it continues to serve as the site where citizens can exercise their freedom of speech today. Commemorate the women's suffrage centennial in Washington, DC with these pivotal, exciting (and free) exhibits and events below, and check out other great ways to celebrate the contributions of women in DC. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Erin Moore (@cottonoveralls) Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument The National Park Service conducts tours of the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, a 200-year-old historic house in Capitol Hill that has been at the center of the fight for women's rights since the National Woman’s Party became the owner in 1929. Guests can learn about the origins of the suffrage and women’s rights movements, as well as the women who earned the right to vote and introduced the Equal Rights Amendment. The museum is closed currently due to the coronavirus crisis, but you can walk up to the house and take a picture. When it is operating, the monument runs hour-long tours at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and 2 and 3:30 p.m. The museum is usually closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. 144 Constitution Ave NE 900 Ohio Drive SW Washington, DC 20002 Portrait Monument to Pioneers of Suffrage Movement Among the most hallowed ground in our democracy, the U.S. Capitol Rotunda displays statues depicting past presidents like Washington and Lincoln, as well as a trio of significant women suffragists. This 14,000-pound monument immortalizes Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the first women to demand the right to vote, Susan B. Anthony, who proposed the Amendment that would pass after her death, and Lucretia Mott, a Quaker preacher who fought for women’s equality in the 1800s. The National Woman's Party presented the monument as a gift to the Capitol, which was accepted and unveiled during what would’ve been Anthony’s 101st birthday in 1921. While the Capitol Visitor Center has suspended all tours, including the Votes For Women Tour usually running Monday through Saturday at 1 p.m., guests are able to listen in to the Votes for Women Tour Podcast, in which guests can discover stories of the women who set the stage for equality, the many voices of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, and the voices of the generations of women who followed. First Street NE, Washington, DC 20515 Discover the National Museum of American History's 'Votes For Women' Online The National Museum of American History showcases women’s experiences through powerful artifacts and storytelling, and has multiple artifacts commemorating the women's right to vote. While you can't do so in person, you can visit American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith exhibit, which features Susan B. Anthony’s red shawl, suffrage buttons, the table on which Elizabeth Stanton drafted the Declaration of Sentiments for the famous Seneca Falls Convention and a women’s suffrage wagon. National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560 Explore the National Archives' Now-Virtual Exhibition 'Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote' This 3,000-square-foot exhibit in the Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery at the National Archives uses more than 90 items, including records, artifacts and photographs, to tell the complex story of diverse suffragists in securing women’s voting rights. The exhibit also goes well beyond 1920 to show the relentless struggle that occurred throughout U.S. history to win voting rights for all women. Although the museum is currently closed, you can commemorate the initiative and the exhibit online. 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free admission National Archives, 701 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408 Visit the 'Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote' on the Library of Congress Website The seven-decade struggle for women’s suffrage is illuminated in striking detail in this virtual exhibit by the Library of Congress. Visitors can retrace stories of diverse women who changed America. The exhibition draws from the collections of Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Mary Church Terrell and other suffragists – in their own words. Photographs, film footage and rare manuscripts will transport visitors back in time as women took their place in the public square. Use #ShallNotBeDenied to share your experiences. Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540 Read About 'Ordinary Equality: DAR Members and the Road to Women’s Suffrage, 1890-1920’ The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Museum & Archives invites you to observe how members of the organization took advantage of increased opportunities for women to participate in social reform activities, in turn helping to make the dream of women’s voting rights a reality. Discover biographies, correspondence and photographs from the DAR archives that highlight the tremendous accomplishments of more than 40 women. DAR Museum & Archives, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
What to Know About Marches in Washington, DC
Washington, DC has long been a place where individuals from across the United States of America have exercised their First Amendment rights by marching for a cause. From the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession down America’s Main Street – Pennsylvania Avenue – and the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech from the Lincoln Memorial, to the annual March for Life and Women’s March on Washington, the nation’s capital is home to some of the most significant moments in American history. Regardless of whichever administration is in power, Washington, DC celebrates the right to march and the First Amendment rights of individuals. If you’re visiting DC for a march or protest, read on for more information and practical tips for when you’re in town. What Can I Expect If I Ride the Metro? Metro prepares for very heavy ridership during marches in Washington, DC. While you can purchase a SmarTrip card at any Metrorail station, visitors are encouraged to buy SmarTrip cards in advance online. For more information, visit our guide to riding Metro in DC. Where Can I Use the Bathroom on the National Mall? There are public restrooms, all with handicapped accessibility, located by the Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., Lincoln and World War II memorials, as well as near Sylvan Theater on the Washington Monument grounds. All of the museums on the National Mall also have ample public restrooms. Where Can I Eat on the National Mall? There are plenty of great food options within walking distance to the National Mall. From restaurant dining near the monuments and memorials to cafes in popular museums, explore all of the best places to eat on and around the National Mall and view our dining map. Additional Information for Your Visit There are many museums and sites in Washington, DC where you can celebrate the First Amendment and right to free speech during your visit. The Newseum is dedicated to promoting, explaining and defending the five freedoms of the First Amendment: speech, press, assembly, petition and religion, and features numerous interactive elements that make it one of the most cutting-edge museums in the world. Nearby, the National Archives and Records Administration Building and Museum is home to the three most important documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. There, visitors can see firsthand the first ten amendments to the Constitution and read their rights to freedom of the speech, of the press, to peaceably assemble and more. Other notable sites in Washington, DC that celebrate the First Amendment include the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, which chronicles the origins of the suffrage and women’s rights movements, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, featuring numerous exhibits dedicated to the African American struggle for freedom and the Civil Rights Movement, and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, with exhibits on American democracy and the original Greensboro lunch counter. Group Travel Logistics Washington, DC makes group travel easy with its accessibility, amazing dining options, educational tours and wealth of free museums. Find out why the nation’s capital is a great place for groups. If your group is traveling by motorcoach, please note that there are regulations that cover permitting and traffic flow for motorcoaches in response to safety, security and preservation requirements. For up-to-date information on all motorcoach news, information and regulations, visit GoDCGo.com.