Art Museum of the Americas
201 18th St. NW, Washington DC, Washington DC, USA, 20006
Among the country’s first museums dedicated to modern Latin American and Caribbean art, the Art Museum of the Americas has been a DC highlight since its founding in 1976. Located just steps from the National Mall and Washington Monument, the museum’s permanent collection includes 2,000-odd paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other works.
The Basics
The Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) is home to one of the world’s most significant collections of modern and contemporary art hailing from the Western hemisphere (particularly from Latin America and the Caribbean). Though the institution did not open until the 1970s, its origins date to 1949, when it first began to amass donated works. Now housed in an attractive, Spanish colonial–style building designed by architect Paul Cret, the museum showcases pieces by artists the likes of Carlos Cruz-Diez, Roberto Matta, Carlos Mérida, and Amelia Peláez.
Given its proximity to other major DC monuments and museums—and given its accessible size—the Art Museum of the Americas can easily be visited during a DC sightseeing day out.
Things to Know Before You Go
The Art Museum of the Americas is free for all to visit.
As it is located in a historical house, AMA includes gravel pathways, uneven gallery levels, and internal flights of stairs, making it inaccessible to wheelchair users.
Group tours are available upon request Tuesday–Friday between 10am and 4pm; call or email in advance to book your place.
How to Get There
The museum is conveniently located on 18th Street NW, just steps from many of the capital’s most important landmarks. To visit, take the metro’s Blue Line, Orange Line, or Silver Line to Farragut West station, or use bus line 1, S1, or 80. The Art Museum of the Americas can also be reached by car, by bike, or on foot.
When to Get There
The Art Museum of the Americas is open Tuesday–Sunday from 10am to 5pm; it has exceptional closures on Good Friday and federal holidays. In addition to its permanent collection, it also hosts temporary exhibitions and a range of cultural events; be sure to research its events page prior to your travels to learn more.
Nearby Attractions
The Art Museum of the Americas is conveniently located within a 15-minute radius of many of the city’s key landmarks, from the White House and the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
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