WASHINGTON — From art exhibits that dominated Instagram to new entertainment venues, D.C. had a busy year in its arts and culture scene.
So, the next time someone snidely asks, “What even is there to do in D.C.?” Take a look at this list and let them know what’s really happening in the District.
National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrates 30 years
After opening its doors in 1987, the museum, which bills itself as the “only major museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts,” houses works from a range of women artists: Sonya Clark, Amy Sherald, Mickalene Thomas, Louise Bourgeois and more. One of my favorite exhibitions from this year runs now until Jan. 21, 2018: “Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today” highlights work from black women artists, many with ties to the D.C. area.
So, get to know more women in the arts, and when the museum asks, “Can you name five women artists?” as it has on social media, names other than Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo are just rolling right off your tongue. There is a $10 admission fee for adults, but admission is free on the first Sunday of every month for their Community Day.
(WTOP/Teta Alim)
WTOP/Teta Alim
Town Danceboutique announces it will close in July 2018
Town, a two-story nightclub in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood, announced that it was shutting its doors next year after its decadelong run. And for many in the local LGBT+ community, the news was met with shock and devastation. Town bills itself as the city’s largest gay nightclub, and for some, it was one of the first gay nightclubs they danced in.
“A lot of people were just upset and sad because it’s such a staple in our community and there’s no other place like it. So there’s definitely going to be a hole that’s going to need to be filled,” DJ Devon Trotter told WTOP in August.
(WTOP/Teta Alim)
WTOP/Teta Alim
National Museum of African American History and Culture celebrates anniversary
“From the time I stepped off the bus, I had the feeling of my ancestors here.” That’s what visitor Sheila Davis, who had traveled to the National Mall all the way from Harlem, told WTOP in September during the museum’s anniversary celebrations. And even a year later, the museum still gives out free timed passes that visitors need to enter.
It’s nearly impossible to get through this Smithsonian in a few hours, let alone a day, because of the thousands of artifacts to peruse. There’s also a sizable crowd; just months after its opening, the museum had surpassed 1 million visitors. Now a must-visit D.C. destination, the NMAAHC has a lot to offer, from its culinary selections and architectural design to its historic content.
(WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
WTOP/Kathy Stewart
New venue The Anthem opens at The Wharf
D.C.’s Southwest Waterfront development is bringing in lots of new living, retail and restaurant spaces. But beyond shopping and eating, residents and visitors can also enjoy live entertainment at The Anthem, which opened in October with a Foo Fighters concert.
“We want to make it the best venue in the world,” I.M.P. founder Seth Hurwitz, who is also behind D.C. venues 9:30 Club and Lincoln Theatre, told WTOP. Get ready to enjoy Tyler, the Creator, Lorde, Little Big Town and more in this 6,000-person space right by the water.
(WTOP/Reada Kessler)
Yayoi Kusama’s artwork dominates Hirshhorn (and Instagram)
“Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” was an instant hit when the exhibit opened in February: Visitors quickly snatched up free timed passes to see the installation and long lines would form outside and inside the museum. The exhibit was a celebration of the Japanese artist’s decadelong career and featured some of her most recognizable works, including “All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins,” (pictured above).
“I think that it’s magical,” one visitor told WTOP in May, on the last day of the exhibit. “I think that’s something that we’re looking to understand. I think (Yayoi Kusama) understands life in a different perspective, and she wants to share that.”
(WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
