Group tours are free and available Monday through Friday for groups of 15 or more people. Each tour lasts approximately one hour and is geared toward an adult audience. Please choose from one of the tour topics below.
Please submit your form at least four weeks in advance. Submitting a form does not guarantee a reservation.
If you have fewer than 15 people in your group, please consider participating in our daily public tours.
Are you an educator looking to schedule a field trip? Learn more about our school tours and programs.
American Stories
American art can tell complex stories about evolving national identities in the United States. Join us as we look closely at American art from the colonial period to the early 20th century, engaging in conversation and exploring different perspectives with these works from our collection.
Breaking the Rules in Modern Art
How and why did rules of painting and sculpture change radically throughout the 20th century? Through close looking and conversation, we'll explore how artists departed from traditional materials and subject matter while grappling with the modern world.
Dialogues in Modern Art and Contemporary Art
Discover connections and “dialogues” between modern and contemporary works of art in the National Gallery’s East Building. Together we will explore artistic process and uncover layers of meaning in painting and sculpture through close looking and conversation.
French Art: Impressionism to the Early 20th Century
On this tour of the National Gallery of Art’s collection, discover the ways 19th-century French artists broke with tradition and transformed French art. Together we will look closely and explore how artists such as Monet, Cézanne, and Cassatt challenged the art establishment through their subject matter and techniques. Please note that this tour will not take place in the Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment exhibition. All programs related to that exhibition will be posted on the exhibition page.
Glimpses of Life in 17th Century Dutch Art
Join us to explore works of art that offer glimpses of life in 17th century Dutch society during a period of social, economic, and religious change. Through close looking and conversation, we will uncover the layers of meaning in paintings created during an unprecedented flourishing of the arts.
Italian Renaissance Collection
How did artists respond to the culture and ideas of the Renaissance in Italy? Join us in exploring the rise of humanism in society and innovations in art through works by artists like Giotto, Leonardo, Raphael, and Titian.
(Re)Discover the National Gallery of Art
Whether this is your first time discovering the National Gallery or we are welcoming you back, this free tour is for you! Designed to pique your curiosity and deepen your understanding of the nation’s collection, this one-hour tour will explore a range of art spanning 500 years from approximately 1400 to 1900. We will engage in conversation and make meaningful connections to art and our shared humanity.
Sculpture Garden
Join us in the National Gallery's outdoor Sculpture Garden for an engaging tour that explores modern and contemporary sculpture in a landscape setting. Offered April-June and September-October.
