Festivals

National Gallery Nights

National Gallery Nights attendees laughing and enjoying themselves in the National Gallery's East Building.
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National Gallery Nights returns for the spring season!

 

The East Building comes to life in this popular after-hours program. Join us for themed evenings with music, live performances, artmaking, pop-up talks, and more.

Due to the popularity of National Gallery Nights, and to give everyone an equal chance of attending, we offer registration through a lottery system. The lottery takes place the week before each event. It opens on Monday at 10:00 a.m. and closes Thursday at noon. We notify all lottery entrants whether or not they were selected to register the Friday before each program.

Additional passes are available at the East Building entrance—first come, first served—starting at 5:30 p.m.

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Event Series:  First Saturdays

Each month, join us for a fun and relaxed experience featuring art making, films, and a variety of special pop-up activities. All activities are free, and most are first come, first served. Some activities require registration.

People standing, sitting, and walking around in the Sculpture Garden during a Jazz in the Garden event.

Event Series:  Jazz in the Garden

DC’s favorite summer concert series returns with a variety of performances including jazz, Latin fusion, R&B, and more. Join us in the Sculpture Garden on Fridays from May 23 through July 11 (no concert July 4).

Event Series:  By Land, Sea, and Lens: Creatures on Film

This film series celebrates the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World through historic and contemporary international videos and films inspired by the incredible insects, sea creatures, birds and other animals who share the world with us.