Past Exhibitions

Learn about past exhibitions going back as far as 1941 when the National Gallery of Art first opened to the public.

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In the Library: Animal Illustration in Europe, 1550–1750
Closed October 31, 2025

Explore the world of animal illustrations at the dawn of European natural history, when scientific discovery and imagination combined. Peek into nearly 40 works from the Library’s rare book collection.  

Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World
Closed November 2, 2025

Experience the wonder of nature through the eyes of artists. Look closely at art depicting insects and other animals alongside real specimens.

Several insects such as a bees, butterflies, moths, ladybugs, beetles, and more, crawling on and around a fig branch.
In the Tower: Chakaia Booker
Treading New Ground
Closed August 2, 2026

See three awe-inspiring sculptures by an American artist who transforms tires to explore environmental concerns.

Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist
Closed July 6, 2025

Trace the career of this cultural force—from her roots in Washington, DC, Chicago, and New York to the remarkable body of work she made during some 60 years in Mexico. In striving to make art for the people, Catlett put social justice at the very center of her work.  

Three women's faces standing side-by-side. The two on either side are face each other and the middle one is facing straight ahead.
In the Library: Recent Acquisitions, 2023–2024
Closed May 9, 2025

See a selection of new acquisitions for the Library’s rare book collection.

A pink flower with a yellow caterpillar crawling on it.
The ’70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography
Closed April 6, 2025

See how documentary photography transformed during the 1970s.

Spirit & Strength: Modern Art from Haiti
Closed March 9, 2025

Learn about some of the most celebrated Haitian artists of the 20th century.

The painting shows a person who stands with their hands on their hips. Their skin is light brown, and they have thick, arched eyebrows, a pointed nose that appears to have a dark piercing in the side, and a slightly downturned mouth. They wear a large golden hoop earring and several strands of multicolored beads around their neck. Their dark hair is covered with a white head wrap that has a knot at the top. The person is dressed in a vivid dress that includes rich hues of blue, red, yellow, and white, complete with a dark red sash across their waist. A long, brown, curved object is tucked inside their belt, and brown and yellow patterned satchel is slung across their body. The background is a light blue color with patterns of red, white and blue starbursts surrounded by red, blue, white and yellow dots in circular formations scattered across the canvas. The painting is signed "A. Pierre" at the bottom right.
Paris 1874
The Impressionist Moment
Closed January 19, 2025

How did impressionism begin? Discover the origins of the French art movement in a new look at the radical 1874 exhibition considered the birth of modern painting.

Gordon Parks: Camera Portraits from the Corcoran Collection
Closed January 12, 2025

See powerful portraits by one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

 

This black-and-white photograph depicts two individuals, a man and a woman, both with dark skin. The man is on the left, wearing a black suit with a white shirt under it and a tie decorated with abstract circles and lines. He wears a light, wide-brimmed hat and glasses, has a cigar in his mouth, and holds a closed book. The woman on the right has her dark hair gathered up on the top of her head under an elaborate hat. She wears a dress with short sleeves and white buttons on the front. The two figures have their arms interlaced. They both look at the viewer with neutral expressions. Behind them appears to be a residential area; there are houses on the left and right, separated by a tree-lined street.

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