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7 Ways to Celebrate Spring at the National Gallery

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This print shows a river scene with a green hill on the left. Trees with pink blossoms, light blue banners, and crowds of indistinct people dressed in white, pink, and blue are visible on top of the hill in the distance. Closer to us, different types of boats drift along the blue river with people sitting or standing on them. The people wear robes or tunics in shades of gray, green, red, or blue, and they appear to have skin in shades of white and peach. On the right, more vessels with white sails are seen in the distance as the river extends into the horizon. The sky is mostly white, although around the horizon it is a peachy-orange color. On the right side of the print are vertical lines of characters.
Andō Hiroshige, Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom Along the Sumida River [Sumida-gawa hana-zakari], 1839-1842, color woodcut on Japanese paper, Corcoran Collection (Bequest of Frank B. Bristow, 1968), 2015.143.95

Ready for a fresh start? We’ve got you covered.

It’s the season of new beginnings. Set aside your spring cleaning and make a plan to celebrate the return of the cherry blossoms with a range of spring-inspired experiences and activities.

1. See (and smell) the flowers.

Our dazzling floral displays brighten the West Building Rotunda and Garden Courts throughout the year. Outside, take in the wisteria and tulips outside our West Building’s Mall entrance, the grove of magnolia trees between our West and East Buildings, or the cherry blossoms on the south side of the East Building.

Plan your visit

 

2. Tour the Sculpture Garden.

Starting April 3, you can learn more about the modern works in our Sculpture Garden on a free guided tour. This casual stroll through our garden is offered at 2:00 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Or grab a beverage from the Pavilion Café and take a self-guided tour.

See the schedule

 

A woman standing on a ladder propped against a wall hands fruit down to a nude child held by a second woman in this vertical colored print. The scene is printed with areas of mostly flat color in shades of vivid green, earthy browns, and pastel pinks and blue. The women and child have peachy-toned skin and brown hair. Both women wear long, floral-patterned dresses with long, loose sleeves, and their hair is pulled back in buns at the napes of their necks. The ladder, to our left, leans against the verdant green vines growing up the brown wall. The woman standing on the ladder wears a powder-blue dress over an apricot-orange and white patterned kerchief around her neck. She looks down in profile at the child to our right. The child sits facing away from us in the other woman’s arms, bare buns squished along one forearm. The child reaches for the fruit, perhaps a cluster of small grapes. The second woman wears rose pink, and her face is hidden by the child’s head. An opening in the wall to the right leads back to an open space with more greenery. The sky above is a strip of topaz blue along the top edge of the print.
Mary Cassatt, Gathering Fruit, c. 1893, color drypoint, softground etching, and aquatint on laid paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.2757

3. Discover a new favorite artist.

From an exhibition of rarely-seen treasures by Mary Cassatt to a fresh take on our American art galleries, you'll find many new experiences at the National Gallery this season. Don't miss an exhibition of three awe-inspiring sculptures by Chakaia Booker, an American artist who transforms tires to explore environmental concerns.

Check out our exhibitions

 

4. Celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival at our April First Saturday.

Join us on the first Saturday of (most) months for a day of art making, films, and more in the East Building. Our First Saturday on April 6 celebrates spring with a floral-inspired art activity.

See what we have planned

 

The image contains stylized floral and leaf patterns with intricate details. The color palette includes soft yellows, teal blues, muted reds, and browns against a light, neutral background. The flowers and leaves vary in size, with smaller clusters in the top left and larger motifs towards the bottom right.
Anne Allen, Fantastic Flowers with Peapod Leaves, 1795, etching inked à la poupée in green, red, blue, purple, and golden brown on pale green paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1985.60.1

5. Experience art a different way.

Looking to mix things up? Catch one of our free films, concerts, or lectures.

Pick up a pencil and log on for a virtual sketchbook club focused on works of flowers. Or add a little awe to your life with one of our interactive Finding Awe workshops. In each 90-minute session, explore where artists have found awe, how it has inspired their work, and meditate on awe in your own life.

Browse our calendar

 

6. Enjoy an after hours party at National Gallery Nights.

On March 12 our National Gallery Nights takes inspiration from spring for an evening in full bloom. Dance to the vibrant sounds of The String Queens. Design a floral accent to complement your best garden party look, then strike a playful pose at our photobooths. Wander through art inspired by nature and let spring’s energy guide you as we celebrate the new season. Registration opens March 2.

Get more details

 

7. Plan a picnic among our petals.

Pack a picnic—the grass on our campus is yours to enjoy! Or find some shade around the Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain outside our Pennsylvania Avenue entrance. Feeling spontaneous? You can pick up a blanket or picnicware in our shop. Forgot to bring a treat? Head inside to the Espresso & Gelato Bar for a scoop of handcrafted gelato in seasonal flavors.

Find the perfect spot

 

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Verdant green fields roll in undulating waves back alongside a road in this horizontal landscape painting. The fields take up the left and center of the composition and are painted with thick, curling strokes of emerald, pea, and celery green, and corn yellow to suggest grasses and plants. The pale green road runs up along the right edge of the painting, and is layered with strokes and daubs in butter yellow, spring green, and faint blue. The fields and road meet the horizon line about halfway up the canvas, where an aquamarine-blue sky swirling with white and periwinkle-blue clouds fills the top half of the painting.

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