How to Recharge at the National Gallery this Holiday Season

The holiday season and end of the year can be joyful and celebratory. But it can also become exhausting and stressful. Need an escape from the hustle and bustle? Our Visitor Experience team has tips for a peaceful visit to the museum.

1. Beat the crowds

If you’re looking to avoid crowds, get to the museum when we open at 10:00 a.m. The galleries are especially quiet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

If you aren’t quite that early, make your way to the furthest galleries when you arrive—you’ll probably find fewer people there. Plus, you can enjoy some hidden gems you might not have seen before. Have you explored the sculpture galleries on the West Building Ground Floor? What about the gallery of Mark Rothko paintings on the East Building Tower level?

2. Take the pressure off

We know our galleries can be overwhelming. There are over 3,000 works! Don’t feel like you have to see it all. Admission is always free, so you can come back anytime. Focus your visit on a particular set of galleries. Or make your own scavenger hunt—search for dogs, babies, flowers, or whatever you want.

And remember: you don’t need to do anything in particular during your visit. You can read or listen as much, or as little, as you’d like. There’s no one right way to experience the museum. Sometimes just looking is enough.

3. Take a break and fuel up

Don’t forget to rest. Our campus spans three (big) city blocks, so you can cover a lot of ground during a visit. Chill out on one of the many couches in the West Building Main Floor galleries. Other favorite spots are the East and West Garden Courts in the West Building. They were designed as spaces to decompress. Enjoy greenery, open space, and plenty of seating. In the East Building, take a load off at benches on the Concourse or around the trees on the Ground Floor.

If you need a little boost, treat yourself to a sweet treat or some caffeine. The East Building’s Terrace Café tends to be quiet and offers a sweeping view of the skylit Atrium.

4. Engage all your senses

Eventually, your eyes and mind will need a break. Engage one of your other senses by making something with your hands. Stop by artmaking tables in the East Building Atrium to take a crafting break. Or experiment on the digital Brushster screens nearby.

Our spaces fill with flowers and plants during the holiday season. Circle the West Building Rotunda and smell the different flowers. Curious about the display? Check in at the information desk for a list of plants on view.

5. Get outside

Bundle up and take a break in the fresh air. The East Building Roof Terrace can be a perfect intermission or cap to your visit. Take in the city alongside Katharina Fritsch’s giant blue rooster, Hahn/Cock. Or just take a moment to recenter. You can even do that while seated on a work of art—Scott Burton’s Rock Settee. During the winter, you can catch the sunset before we close at 5:00 p.m.

From the West Building, cross Constitution Avenue to the Mellon Fountain. Take a seat on the bench, tucked away from the nearby traffic. Or cross 7th Street to the Sculpture Garden. Wind along the outer edge path and feel the breeze. Behind the Pavilion Café, find Marc Chagall’s mosaic Orphée. It’s a perfect spot to meditate on your visit before going about the rest of your day.