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Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Rating Details »
Independence Avenue at Seventh Street SW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 357-1300
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 357-1300
- Nearest Transit:
-
L'Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, Blue)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
77 reviews for Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
I like this museum a lot. Modern art - I'm a fan.
There's not so much on display that you become overwhelmed.
There are chairs all about the circular hallway in the center, so you can rest your legs. There's a particularly comfortable seat facing the National Archive. There was a couple making out on it as I was passing through this particular room one day...
CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN ART IN A CIRCULUAR BUILDING SURROUNDED BY A SCULPTURE GARDEN
I love modern and contemporary art and the Hirshhorn museum has an amazing collection.
The building is shaped like a doughnut with a fountain in the middle that shoots water 50 feet into the air. There are three levels and natural light spills in from the windows. It is easy to navigate this museum and every famous artist of the 20th century is featured. The show rotates all the time so not all of the collection is on display.
Standouts to me on this visit was the gallery filled with paintings by de Kooning, a lush black portrait of Andy Warhol by Schanabel, a larger than life Leigh Bowery painted by Lucian Frued, and a gorgeous blue painting (1950-M) by Clyfford Still that filled an entire wall.
We strolled through the sculpture garden after the museum. This is one of the best sculpture gardens I have ever seen. If you are a fan of modern and contemporary art this museum is well worth a visit.
Absolutely SCHA-MAZING!!! If you are a fan of modern art then the Hirshhorn is a schrine which you must visit. Even if you don't entirely "get" modern art my suggestion to see if you can arrange to have a museum docent give you a tour (you'll learn a lot and come to appreciate this amazing and totally underappreciated museum).
I actually prefer the Hirshhorn to NYC's MOMA (which I kinda view as a place which only displays the work of their "prefered" artists). Easily navigated and manuevered through, the Hirsh offers a large number of seminars, lectures, events, etc. Unlike some of the other Smithsonians the collection here is changing and is kept very fresh (so even if you live in DC it is a nice visit).
Oh, and did I mention that it is FREE! Yes, FREE DOLLARS! Who doesn't love that?
Let's face it. Modern art isn't for everyone. Hell, I'm not even sure that I like it. But there's something about this museum that really appealed to me and, I think, a lot of the other visitors.
Perhaps it's just the lack of crowds. This isn't exactly a hot spot for tourism, which makes it a four-star kinda place right away. The museum is a little more out of the way than others on the Mall and, aesthetically, it's not much of a match for some of its more majestic counterparts either. But maybe it's just the strange and wonderful artwork, which includes paintings, sculptures, mobiles (very cool) and, uh, weird stick things with colors and... stuff.
Look, I don't pretend to know much about art, but I dug the pieces that mixed different media or used depth of field, dimensions, and textures in unique ways. A lot of the more contemporary stuff that I saw was actually quite clever, including the exhibit of cracked glass displays that had been shipped around the country in "shatterproof" boxes. And the Strange Bodies exhibit can only be described as Tim Burton meets LSD and spoiled meat. Total horror show, but so cool!
There are some interesting pieces here. Some beautiful sculptures, very creative.
The realistic sculptures were great, and there were some thought provoking pieces.
I also liked that there were chairs and benches for people to sit on in the halls and rooms.
I thought the security system was pretty unique too. There were rarely bars or sectioned off areas around the sculptures. Rather, there were lines of tape on the ground that extended about a foot or two from the art. The lights on the ceiling were not all lights, and some of them were sensor systems that would beep loudly whenever there was movement that breached the taped lines. What a unique and discreet way to protect the sculptures.
The staff were also very attentive and would engage us in conversation regarding certain pieces when they saw that we were interested. Unfortunately, most of the conversation was about what "we thought" of the art, which didn't really get us anywhere. But the guide we spoke to also mentioned a related piece of art on the other end of the building which shed more light on the sculpture's meaning.
Overall, it's not the kind of museum I would visit on my own, but I also had a good time while I was there.
The Hirshorn is actually my least favorite museum in the city. Then again, I like my art classical, almost to a point where the East wing of the National Gallery is too much for me.
I don't get modern/contemporary art, and most of the exhibits give me the creeps. But if you're into that sort of thing, the Hirshorn is a solid pick, featuring many mixed media pieces from the end of the 20th century. The galleries are laid out fairly well, and won't send you on a maze (although, even if it did, it would be okay because it's "art.")
I just don't have a fondness for cannibalism representations, or bone-chilling, but ridiculously abstract mixed media representing suicide (or old age, or anti-organized religion, depending on the angle you look at it, or your mood when you walk into the gallery). Or a video of trees. Just trees. As in, that which one encounters in a forest. Trees. A whole video of trees...
This museum makes me shrug.
Even if you don't get or like modern art, I think you will still come across things at the Hirshhorn that will speak to and maybe even delight you.
I brought a friend who likes to apply the "landfill" test to artwork -- if I saw this at a dump, would I think it is worth saving? And, admittedly, some of the stuff here failed that test, but he also found a bunch of stuff he thought was really cool and interesting. The top floor of the museum, especially, has some great exhibits.
I'm a big fan of modern art. The museum has a terrific permanent collection, eg Max Ernst's Poseidon. I love strolling through the museum and seeing the imaginative forms flowing through the space. If I have a complaint it is that DC is perhaps outside the loop of top modern art exhibition cities. We don't see Jenny Holzer exhibits here. Chinatown bus to NYC for world class art.
I do enjoy modern art but i have been to better museums. The architecture from the outside is nice and quite interesting, but the inner layout was ill-planned. Perhaps this is only because they were adding a new installation and it cut off a large portion of the museum, but that did bother me.
The sculpture garden was fantastic and well spaced, but the exhibits were nothing all too fascinating.
What a great place to spend a Saturday. While DC may lack a true, independent art gallery scene, it definitely has a rich collection of art museums. This is one of my favorites. The HH always has a thought provoking exhibit on the second floor, and a revolving display of their permanent collection in the basement. The top floor displays some great art from the 40s-90s (and I guess a few pieces from the 2000s). The circular layout is convenient for circulation and flow.
Don't miss the video displays on the top floor including a Nam June Paik piece that will give you seizures ('Video Flag') and 'The Way Things Go' by Peter Fischli and David Weiss. The second video is a 30 minute long piece that will just suck you in with its crazy chain reaction. It's really really incredible if you think about how much work it was to put together and all the creativity it involves. Def one of the museum's most popular pieces! Don't forget about the sunken sculpture garden out front!
Admittedly I'm not a fan of modern art, although there are far better modern art museums (MOMA, in particular). However, the redeeming feature of this museum is the sculpture garden - and with the exception of torrid summer days in D.C., it's a lovely place to relax.
If you have a 1/2 hour, the Hirshhorn is perfect for you. In fact, I can't imagine spending more than 1/2 hour in there. The first floor only has a store and the second and third floors are really small. The third floor of the Smithsonian American Art museum has better modern art than the Hirshhorn. There is an "exhibit" showing Plexiglas cubes that were broken in transit. The broken Plexiglas cubes are sitting on cardboard boxes with FedEx labels. It's not that the exhibit was too abstract for me but I had a hard time seeing it as "art." Within 15 minutes I was done - and quite disappointed.
I first went here several years ago, my boys must have been about 6 years old. There was , in one room, quite simply the most fun and entertaining piece of art I have ever enjoyed. Can't remember who did it or what it was called:
There were three or four photocopier machines suspended upside down from the ceiling, and they were whirring away and spinning sheets and sheets of paper to the floor, and you could run around on the floor, lie down, try to catch the sheets as they fell. I must have laid down on that floor with my kids for about an hour, and watched them run around and try to catch pieces of paper, try to hide in the piles of paper. Like a funky indoor warm snowstorm.
It is almost impossible to describe how a symbol of officee drudgery could be transmogrified into something fun, exciting and beautiful. All it took was an idea and a hammer and nails.
It was phenomenal. And if I neck that bottle of tequila I keep in my bottom drawer I might try the same thing in the office photocopier room.
A good collection with some provocative and simply good modern art, but I was disappointed with the amount of closure due to what I assume was renovation, so there were really only like 2 floors to see and I was gone before i knew it. If only they took all the modern art in the city and put it in one place, that would be awesome.
Say what you will about the Hirshhorn, but where else can you go to see a completely black canvas set up among great works of art like Caulder and be acceptable? Where can you go to find a room being fed with with paper to fill the room and have everyone stand around and "Yes, now that's art." But you will find Caulder, you will find Rothko you will find some of the undesputible best and when you're lucky, you'll find something unexpected that sets your imagination a flight.
When you go be sure to canvas the sculptures on the outsides of the rooms. There you'll find Ernst Barlach's Russian Beggar Woman. Tell her I love her. Tell her I'm coming to get her.
I don't get art. I don't walk up to a painting and stare and say things like, "interesting choice for a medium, you can tell the artist was really frustrated with this one. I feel a sense of urgency." I absolutely love photographs, and I get those, but everyother kind of art escapes me.
However, my lack of art education does not stop me from appreciating it and wanting to learn more. I think the Hirshhorn is a beautiful place to dig in. The sculpture garden alone is worthy of an annual spring/summer stroll. And while I don't understand the importance of Balzac, it's nice to look at and enjoy challenging myself every year to try and understand it better.
I love the sculpture garden... especially in the winter time when they have ice skating. I've been through this many times, but never actually ventured the short walk to the Hirshhorn Museum until this past Saturday. They have some really interesting sculptures, but then they also have works of art that I look at and say "I could do that" - and I have very little artistic ability.
The layout is nice. To get to various exhibits you ride up and down escalators, and essentially walk around in an oval to see all of the pieces of art. I also like that this is one of those museums that you can either linger and really examine the pieces of art... or walk at a slow to moderate pace and see everything in about 45 min to an hour.
If you haven't visited the Hirschhorn, I would definitely recommend that you give it a try... even if you don't think you're a fan of modern art.. as I said... to cover the entire museum walking at a leisurely pace only takes about 45 minutes - what do you have to lose?
i'm primarily reviewing the fountain area, as thats where i spent most of my time at this exhibit. I had a free afternoon from work, so just decided to drop by here and enjoy the afternoon.
The afternoon was breezy, cool, and just the perfect day to enjoy sitting at a bench and listening to the sounds of the fountain water splashing. It was so serene and calming. It was so nice just to see people from differents parts of the world, speaking different languages congregate. people were just reading, playing in the water, or sleeping. The soothing sounds almost made me fall asleep.
Sitting there just made me forget about work, bills, deadlines, appointments, and the other stressors of life. Sometimes when your life is going 100 miles an hour, the most productive thing you can do is just sit down and enjoy the world, which is what this place allows you to do. I just sat there and did absolutely nothing, and it was the most productive hour i've had in DC thus far.
The Hirshhorn is my favorite museum in DC. Yes, I love modern art and have since I was a wee one in high school, but the Hirshhorn is better than the Phillips and the National Gallery of Art (which shows some modern artists).
The Hirshhorn is better, because they have a uniquely modern space, where the outside is covered in Munoz and Lichtenstein. Plus, unlike the NGA, it seems like tourists have not really discovered it, which means that I don't have to push past huge crowds of people to see art, and it's free!
The Hirshhorn also does a good job with interesting media art and tries to cater to younger audiences with AfterHours, etc. I think I did read an article awhile ago that said that the reason they had so much media art was because they don't have an appropriate loading dock for installing big art pieces.
I LOVE THIS MUSEUM.
it is one of my top four art museums in the world...the other three being the chicago institute of art, the national gallery in london, and the musee d'orsay in paris.
the hirsshorn is awesome, and the exhibits are always changing, so everytime you go you will find something new to love. the last time i was there (this week) there was a wonderful exhibit on realism in film. it was the BOMB! that's pretty much what i study in school...so the exhibit was fascinating to me.
if you're in DC and are remotely interested in art museums, GO....GO!!!!!
I was one of those weenie transfer students who never had to take an art history or appreciation class in college. With that in mind, my idea of modern art was big canvases that had paint thrown on them randomly in a way that represented some fingerpainting my five year old nephew may bring home. So when my friend wanted to go to a modern art museum I kept my whining to a minimum but mentally I was rolling my eyes.
Who would've thought this would become one of my favorite museums in the city? Yes, there are some pieces that I just don't get and eerily resemble my nephew's fingerpainting. But there are others that are really cool. The last time I went there was a Rube Goldberg type video that ran for over 30 minutes that was really neat.
Definitely give it a try. There will be some things you don't like but hopefully a few that you do. Plus you can laugh at all the people who were drug here unwillingly by their significant others (there was one guy that kept saying, "is this really art?!?!"). It amused me ;)
I love the Hirschhorn. I love their permanent exhibit and their traveling exhibits; I love their new acquisitions (in the basement); I love their special events (check the website for their excellent schedule of campy films).
If you like modern art, you've likely already visited. If you don' t think you like modern art, I'd encourage you to give the Hirschhorn a try. It covers a wide variety of media, time periods, and genres, and it's likely that you'll find something palatable - maybe even something you enjoy! You can also appreciate the architecture, the sculpture garden, and the fountain outside if the exhibits inside aren't for you.
An excellent place to while away an afternoon, whether wandering through the exhibits or sitting outside and taking it all in.
This has always been my favorite museum. I love modern art. From the sculpture garden to the permanent collection to the building itself, this unique Smithsonian museum that was independently founded by the financier, Hirshhorn, should not be missed.
In addition to its permanent holdings, the Hirshhorn also hosts fantastic exhibits that change on a quarterly basis. Past exhibits include Isamu Naguci, Wolfgang Laib, and H.C. Westermann. Recently there have been two fantastic film exhibits that virtually transport the visitor into several other worlds and emotional states. It truly is a unique experience.
Like others this is my favorite "tourist" spot in the city.
I have nostalgic memories of skipping school senior year of high school with friends to spend a day here checking out the Chuck Close exhibit. Yes, I was that kind of nerd.
Other cool exhibits are always coming and going, so there is always something new to see.
Ride the escalator to the top, and spiral you way down.
Here are some simple reasons to love the Hirshhorn:
- Free. You won't find a place like this for free anywhere else.
- Easily walkable. The building is a circular, drum shape, designed specifically for the kind of walking you'll be doing. No confusing maps needed.
- The exhibitions. Always with new and intriguing exhibitions, I have to constantly ensure I'm not missing out on anything.
- The permanent collection. Realizing that little of their artwork sees the light of day, the Hirshhorn started an ingenious new program of bringing in outside curators to rummage through the collection. The initial installment was "Ways of Seeing" by artist and curator John Baldessari.
- Lectures, lectures, lectures. Come see these on Thursday nights for a great amount of material by famous artists, curators, and collectors.
- Parties. Hirshhorn After Hours is a great way to have some drinks, listen to some music, and talk about art. Head to Adams Morgan after to continue the fun.
If you love modern or contemporary art, and want to see it in the easiest and least pretentious way possible, please do yourself a favor and go. And go often! You won't regret it.
A great art treasure in downtown DC. It's the only modern art museum that's part of the Smithsonian. The distinct round building has a prime spot along the National Mall near the Air and Space Museum.
Of course the art here is superb. Since it only houses modern art, the Hirshhorn leans heavily towards the abstract. At the very least you will find many of the pieces interesting. The Hirshhorn is never stodgy, showcasing a cutting edge philosophy in its choice of permanent and temporary exhibitions.
The museum has a wide variety of modern art: sculpture, metal art, abstract paintings, photography, film, etc. If you enjoy art you will find something you like here.
Personally, I'm a great fan of strange and disturbing art that leaves me feeling somber, pensive, or even awkward (because I don't have enough things in life making me feel this way, right?!). The pieces on the third floor, weren't my cup of tea, but I was really feeling the special exhibits on the second floor and the lower level. This was definitely one of my favorite stops in DC, and I don't think it gets enough attention. The gift shop has some truly cool stuff to check out as well.
My favorite DC museum to go and just kind of wander the sculpture garden. I sometimes go inside too. Really this museum feels like you have the freedom to just explore it since it doesn't seem to get as crowded. Plus it is just the neatest building.
what a great day to spend at a museum. after what seems like an eternity trapped indoors due to the ceaseless annoyance that be my tooth, my mate finally was able to convince me to go out w/ him and get some air. glad i did.
got to hirschhorn before 11 am yesterday. plenty of parking available on the street. have been here before, a number of times. never have been blown away, for the most part, but an enjoyable museum, nonetheless.
in general, there's a lot of modern art that goes over my head and many of the pieces at this museum are modern and do just that.
still, i would recommend this museum to anyone visiting the urrea (especially if you're into the modern). it isn't overwhelming and shouldn't take more than an hour to get through.
side note: there was a short film playing that was mesmerizing and way kewl. see attached, if interested...
http://www.youtube.com...
My first visit to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden was for Hirshhorn After Hours, a party held every few months from 8 pm to Midnight. During this event we got the chance to view the newly opened Wolfgang Tillmans exhibition. The artist himself was even there, mingling with hipsters.
It was a touch cold that night but that didn't stop a lot of folks from drinking beer and wine outside on the plaza. And at night, the central courtyard looks especially beautiful.
I appreciate the museum's cylindrical design for its functionality. It ensure that you'll see everything on display and never get lost! If only the same could be said for all DC museums!
I've already marked my calendar for the next Hirshhorn After Hours parties:
Friday, July 20, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
See you there?
How can you not love the Hirshhorn. I came here for the After Hours party last Friday: http://www.flickr.com/...
I also come here every so often to check out the various exhibits: http://www.tabblo.com/...
I love the third floor terrace that overlooks the mall. It's very relaxing there.
I adore the Hirshhorn. With its modern exterior and its fabulous outdoor sculpture garden I feel at home in this space. The artwork is presented well and non pretentiously and the docents know what they are talking about, which is very helpful as modern art can often alienate people. The collection itself is impressive. Touting major players like Rodin, Calder, Mondrian, and new creative minds like Hirst, Guo-Qiang (whose show a few years back at the Freer/Sackler was incredible!) the collection features some truly significant works of modern art. I could circle (literally) the halls & walls of this museum endlessly...and the sculpture garden is really wonderful with its Jazz nights & tranquil space.
People are often turned off by modern art (I on the other hand, can't get enough!) and I think the Hirshhorn does a terrific job at making their extraordinary collection accessible for everyone.
Modern art? Eh. Don't like it.
At least that's what I thought before going to the Hirshhorn. Now, even though I'm still not a huge modern art fan, it's one of my favorite museums in DC. I admit I still walk right by plenty of pieces I don't get....like those big canvases painted just one color, but the Hirshhorn holds so many different/interesting/cool things that I enjoy myself each time I visit.
Don't get me wrong - I love the Hirshhorn Museum and I completely appreciate the essence of modern art that it is. But the sculpture garden here, ahhh! I must admit to my alternative intentions.
So, let me set the scenario for you...
It's Friday afternoon and you're sitting under a tree, spread out on your favorite blanket with a grocery bag (or two!) of munchies, usually cheese, salami, pickles, crackers, chips, and things of that sort with those few select people you know would truly enjoy this experience. Everyone is sitting back, with oversized sunglasses and all, seemingly enjoying the soothing jazz that one might call the center of attraction here. But don't be fooled. What you don't realize is that behind those huge celebrity glasses, there is great plotting going on.
::: Damn, is that the Russian who was spinning lastnight? His set was dope. I wonder how the afterhours went down. Damn, maybe I should go talk to him and see what's going on tonight...
::: When the hell is the line for sangria going down? I'll wait fifteen more minutes and then just cut in by that cute Greek who'll be near the front soon...
::: Why did I get this pitcher of white sangria? We should switch to red.
::: Oh, dear God, why why WHY did we switch to red?
Sometimes the line for the bathroom can get quite long - that's my only complaint. But then again, you are in a sculpture garden... with lots of sculptures... and bushes... and shrubs... and sangria.
DC's best museum. It houses a revolving display of modern art and sculpture, and the building itself is a sexy breath of fresh air compared to the square (literally) buildings of L'Enfant Plaza. Another big plus, due to its content, this is the one museum that isn't jam-packed with school-children.
Because the building is donut-shaped, the second and third floors are broken into two smaller exhibits, an inner and outer circle, so don't miss anything by accident.
Also, make sure you don't get too close to some of the three-dimensional displays. I and a few friends have been followed by guards for accidently setting off motion sensors.
This museum is absolutely wonderful. Walking around the sculpture garden is a pleasure, even in frigid temperatures. The building itself is really cool, and its circular shape makes it easy to cover the whole museum. The Hirshhorn is big enough to house an extensive permanent collection as well as great temporary exhibitions, but it's not so huge that you'll feel too overwhelmed to see everything in one afternoon. It's easy to access on the Metro, they have a coat room with lockers for your things, and of course you can't beat the price - free!
But please, don't ever face the wrong way on the escalators! My friend kept turning around to talk to us and was reprimanded by two different yet equally vigilant museum guards. Continue your debates about the fascinating art around you on solid ground and no one will get hurt.
Go alone and you'll leave with a renewed creativity. Bring friends and visitors, and you'll have things to talk about for the rest of the day. Go and go often.
Random stuff going on here!
Modern art can be pretty cool, but it's not for everyone. For me, it was a confusing experience. These were some thoughts as I perused the exhibits:
"Ok....... ..... .... ... . . . ."
"That's art??"
"I could have made that."
"Awesome!!!"
"WTF"
"How did they do that?"
You see, quite a variety of responses. Maybe modern art is supposed to do that? Whatever it is, It doesn't float my boat.
Tips: Come with an open mind. The experience is probably better if you're high.
I completely missed the boat on this one. I certainly have an appreciation of art, but most of the pieces at the Hirshhorn, in my opinion, hardly qualify. Perhaps I am too much of a simpleton to have "gotten" it, but if it really needs extensive explanation to be "understood" and "appreciated", I am not interested.
Particularly, there was a short film of a naked woman rolling around in fake blood in a scenic area which I thought was a complete waste of naked woman. There was a "sculpture" consisting of dry cleaners' hangers which could've been constructed out of my closet, and many "paintings" that resembled something brought home by a 3-year-old from preschool, only on a huge piece of canvas. At the end of the day, there were some interesting pieces there, but I seriously wanted my money back and I hadn't even paid admission!
I like modern art, so I found this museum pretty interesting. The museum is in a round building, so you won't miss out any corner. It was a cold day in the winter, so I didn't look at the sculpture garden. It is definitely one of the best museums in the Mall.
Hirschhorn, you deserve 5 stars. Over the last 20-odd years, I have grown from an avid lover of the Natural History Museum to an avid lover of the Hirschhorn. Somehow, incredibly, I had never visited until last year. But, oh, Joseph Beuys! Oh, Jim Hodges! Oh, oh, oh, all of the recent aqcuisitions (except that webbed bed, don't know what you were thinking with that one.) You are even showing the most amazing Dan Steinhilber, much better than the one that was at the Mattress Factory.
However, you get four stars. This is why:
Walking in to the extremely dark hallway of their not terribly impressive example of James Turrell's work, I have my hand on the railing and am standing to the right of the entryway. The guard says " Ma'am, please stand to the right!"
"I am standing to the right," says I.
"Ma'am! People are trying to exit! Please stand to the right!"
"I am standing to the right! I can't get any more to the right!"
"People are trying to exit! Stand to the right!"
"Forget it. I'm leaving."
Nobody was trying to exit.
