Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
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
48 Reviews for Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Definitely my favorite gallery in DC. Great collection of modern art and amazing sculptures. The building itself is really cool too.
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The sculpture garden ranks with the Lincoln memorial as one of my favourite places in DC. I loved the fountain and found it so calming and soothing. It's an oasis of calm in the city centre. The sculptures themselves are varied and interesting and I whiled away many happy moments strolling from one to the other and seeing them from different directions. It's a lovely garden and so easily accessible. You can pop in en route to the museums and on the way back and catch different parts on each trip. So worthwhile...
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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.
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This is one of my favorites among the Smithsonian museums. I like modern art though, if it's not your thing go to the Air & Space.
I really enjoyed the A/V mixed medium exhibit "Dreams" which is currently running upstairs. It warned that some material may be inappropriate for children with good reason.
I'd give it five stars but the giant baby head is gone and that was the coolest thing there, maybe.
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.
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I love this place! And because I love this place, you should too!
However, I suggest you go in the morning when you're at the peak of your energy level. Because, believe me, after viewing pieces and pieces of wonderful, unique art pieces and creations, you'll realize that it's been at least 2 hours that have flown by. And for me, my energy has been departed me by the time I'm done. (Energy! Why hast thou forsaken me?!?!) And I'm like...nap time!
Oh, and do check out the gift shop. You'll discover some cool little things and you'll just want to buy them all.
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.
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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.
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one of those must-see museums in d.c., people down there are lucky to have so many great places to go.
the building at the hirshorn was amazing, a great space full of great art. outdoors was impressive too, definitely one of my favorite art museums. a nice comfortable space, not too snooty feeling.
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I came here alone, which I love to do at museums. What really stuck out was the Alexander Calder's mobiles. I love them to death. Since I was visiting from SF, I wish I downloaded the itunes museum podcast. (Which I recommend and it's free)
Located in the garden was a wishing tree. Never thought I would encounter a wishing tree, sponsored by Yoko Ono. A wishing tree is almost like a fairy tale in my mind, so my excitement was through the roof.
I took a blank piece of square paper, a short pencil (the type you see at ikea, hehe) and wrote down my wish. I search for the "perfect" spot on the tree and looped it around a leaf.....and of course can't tell ya what I wished for (nooope, nothing in the Cinderella category)
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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?
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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.
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The building alone is worth the visit. Standing in the circular courtyard with the reflection pond conjours up fantasies of being on the Bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise.
The pieces range from beautiful, sublime, funny, disturbing to just plain weird.
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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.
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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.
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I really liked the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden. Spent about an hr here.
Small modern art museum that's part of the Smithsonian, it's FREE and very cool.
Exhibits:
Black Box: Mircea Cantor-- a film of a deer & a wolf in the same room. Now thru Dec 9, 2007. Interesting.
Morris Louis "Now: An American Master Revisited". Now thru 1/6/08. Cool color paintings.
Cool fountain outside and nice sculpture garden outside.
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A delightful modern art gallery - for free! It's a must-see for modern and contemporary art lovers. Beware obnoxious school children, stalking security guards who apparently always find at least one person among my friends "suspicious" for no good reason, and the occasional visitor who walks around proclaiming what IS or IS NOT art. Keep it to yourself, buddy, we are not impressed. Also within walking distance of many other free museums, memorials, monuments, and other sights. Note that if you're traveling by Metro, and it's not convenient to use the Smithsonian station, Archives and L'Enfant Plaza are also very accessible.
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I like the Hishhorn a lot because it has a room with a Giant Stick of Butter in the middle of the floor. There is also an installation featuring a vortex of wire clothes hangers. Many colourful lights. The museum is long on colourful and short on dadaism, and that's how I like my modern art museums.
Its relative smallness is appreciated on my part because having spent irrecoverable hours of my life trailing through gargantuan institutions like the MOMA, the Prado, the Tate Modern and the Chicago Institute, I can tell you that there's only so much you can take (if you're a heathen, like me, with but a superficial interest in art). The Hirshhorn is a perfect size.
Best of all, it has comfortable seats where you can sit and listen to people going on and on and on about the essence and the inherence and the depth of vision and the symbolism and the emotional power and the insight into the human condition projected by a pair of upside-down jeans rampant against a field of chicken-wire.
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This gets five stars!!
Not only because it was the first contemporary art museum I set foot in as a little kid, but also because it's awesome!
3 Reasons of Awesomeness:
1) Free admission!
2) Sculpture garden!
3) Contemporary art!
It's a great collection and a great stop while walking about the National Mall. It is also one of the less crowded Museums in the area from my experience. I must admit though, that while they do change some of their exhibits, they've had some of the same things around for YEARS and I mean YEARS. Just because it is in their permanent collection doesn't mean it has to be permanently attached to their walls. Or perhaps they have it on a rotation and I just happen to stumble across them each time I visit. I'm not sure. Still, since some of the pieces here are my favs that I remember for years, it is sort of pleasant for me to be able to walk in and see the same elephants sitting, standing and moving about on large screens. Actually, it's pretty awesome.
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I take ALL my out-of-town visitors to the Hirshhorn, especially the ones who claim to hate modern art. There truly is something for everyone here... the permanent collection is broad and impressive, with pieces ranging from the bizarre to the thought-provoking to the just plain "fun-to-look-at".
I love the layout of the building. The sculpture garden is just steps from the Mall, yet it somehow feels private and secluded. The circular layout makes it impossible to get lost, and there is a beautiful panoramic window on the top floor that provides a lovely view of the Mall. It's a great place to bring family, or a date, but it's equally fun to wander around by yourself. Definitely one of my favorite places in the city.
I go here all the time. I love everything about it and best of all there is no admission fee. My favorite exhibition there was Hiroshi Sugimoto - incredible photography. Ronn Mueck's Untitled (Big Man) is one of the best pieces - I think it's part of the permanent collection but it gets rotated. Trust me, you'll know Big Man when you see it. Don't miss the sculpture garden either.
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The building itself is a work of art. Beautiful. What's even better is sitting on a bench or on the grass of the sculpture garden. . . with your ipod, a good book, and a piece of fruit for your afternoon snack. Those trees above you and the water fountain in front of you make for a perfect place to enjoy the afternoon.
Yes - I did make it inside to take a tour of the artsy bits inside. Found it fun for about 20 mins, but after a while - the mind (at least my mind) can only take so much art appreciation!
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best Smithsonian museum out there!! I am partial bc i interned here for a summer, but really....the collection is AMAZING and the space is quite spectacular!! One of the best museums in DC!
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My favorite part was definitely the Sculpture Garden. They play Jazz on Saturdays. The sculptures are large but not oppressing - and definitely interesting. Love to order food at the cafe and sip my drink while listening to the rush of water from the fountains surrounded by beautiful greenery - all in the middle of the city!
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This place ROCKS!! Love the sculpture garden outside & the amazing art inside. Also, very close to Le'Fant Plaza Metro. (4.8)
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The Hirshhorn never stops to amaze me! Whether it's twisted, hysterical or just plain old thought provoking, the exhibits are constantly changing and keep you exploring. A treasure that I wish I got to more often, except when Andy Warhol is on display... weird!
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The permanent collection is excellent and features some really first rate De Koonings, Barnett Newmans and Klines. It also has some excellent Calders and is generally home to some of the Capitol's more interesting visiting art exhibits. The sunken sculpture garden across the street on the Mall side is a shady retreat from the summer heat and a good place for a picnic or to burn off a chapter in a book and the museum hosts musicians on its lawn/terrace area during the warm months.
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I always take out-of-towners to this museum, because it's "all purpose." There is something for everyone, and most people are affected by this type of art, whether they hate it or love it. I love circular layout of the museum, because I always know when I've looked at everything on that floor.
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Why is it my favorite?
* sigh * this is why I miss DC. A few years back I saw one of the largest collection of Dali. I went 4 days in a row because I needed to soak it all in. It was so good, it inspired me to visit Spain. Its their simple way of dignifying works of art, that makes even the most powerful pieces a chance for the public to understand and respect.
This is the only place in DC where you can enjoy the beauty of works of art on canvas or sculpted pieces by Modern and Contemporary Artists. You can enjoy the exhibits inside because of its intelligible layout or outside with the rest of beautiful Smithsonian as its backdrop.
Works by Abstract Kinetic Artist, Calder, the power of motion of motionless pieces by Juan Munoz, and being able to ride an emotional roller coaster because of Anselm Kiefer's Heaven and Earth ... I feel pretty lucky to have had The Hirshhorn at my disposal when it was only a few minutes away.
So if you live or visit DC and love art, you'll fall in love with The Hirshhorn.
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I'm sad that I didn't spend more time here but I have fond memories of a sunny afternoon spent wandering around the sculpture garden. I was going through my pop art phase and remembered there was a cartoon "house" sculpture that I wanted to take a picture of. If only I can remember who the artist was!
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I love the Hirshhorn! When I was up in school in DC, I went probably once a month. They have lots of great modern art in their permanent collection and supplement it with good shows. I like how you walk around in circles by the windows then duck into the different galleries. The shop has lots of cool gifts, and of course the sculpture garden is worth a peek, too.
Visit Count: 8
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i am going to take in dan's opinion on this review. and he's smart, so it's usually a good idea.
i thought it was nice...the installation didn't blow me away and i am not too crazy about modern art, but it's a nice space.
now, dan was really bummed because the giant plastic man sculpture isn't there anymore.
now, i would say, unless you are really into modern art, you may want to skip this place.
great building and fountain, though.
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One of my favorite museums in DC, the sculpture garden is wonderful as are the permanent and rotating collections.
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If you like modern art and are contemplating which museums you should visit in DC, this one should definitely be on the list. They have a great permanent collection and some good exhibits, and I especially like the idea of their "gyroscope," an area in the museum where they exhibit various artifacts under a unifying theme -- this time it's art by Isamu Noguchi. It's also fun to walk outside in the sculpture garden, especially if the weather's good.
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If you're a modern art fan, definitely check out this museum. I myself am not, but still enjoyed it. Neat circular design to the building. Check it out if you're in town for a few days.
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Definitely the place to go if you're into contemporary art.
If not, it's a place to check out nevertheless. The sculpture garden is much more quiet than the one at the National Gallery of Art. Although the permanent collection is awesome, check out the travelling exhibits--the last one on Hiroshi Sugimoto was incredible. An entire hallway was painted black with his photograph of buddhas the only thing providing any sort of stimulation in the long, darkened hall.
Make sure to check out the large window on the third (?) floor. It provides the only lookout onto the Mall and provides a great view of the National Archives.
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