Page 208 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

206  W ASHINGT ON , DC & THE C APIT AL REGION

Rubens, Goya, El Greco, the Dinosaur Hall, although
and Velasquez. The it is closed until 2019 while a
sculpture galleries here major renovation project is
display decorative arts carried out. Also on the
from the Middle Ages ground floor is Ocean Hall,
to the 20th century. where exhibits explore the
Galleries east of the magnificence of the ocean,
rotunda house an as well as man’s relationship
outstanding collection to it. To the left of the
of French Impressionist Rotunda is an IMAX® Theater
and Post-Impressionist and the Hall of Mammals
art. Among its highlights with its huge 25,000 sq ft of
are Monet’s Woman stunning displays.
with a Parasol, Degas’ On the second floor is the
Four Dancers, and Gems and Minerals collection,
Toulouse-Lautrec’s whose highlight is the 45.52-
Quadrille at the Moulin carat Hope Diamond. The
The façade of the National Gallery of Art Rouge. Portraits by largest deep blue diamond in
John Singer Sargent the world and famed for its
5 National Gallery and James McNeill Whistler are stunning color and clarity, it
of Art among the gallery’s important once belonged to Louis XVI
collection of American paint- of France. Also on the second
Map E4. West Building: Constitution ings. Adjacent to the West floor is the highly popular
Ave between 4th & 7th Sts, NW. Building is a Sculpture Garden, Insect Zoo, with its giant
East Building: 4th St between Madison which is transformed into an hissing cockroaches and large
Drive & Constitution Ave, NW.
Tel (202) 737-4215. q Archives/Navy ice-skating rink in winter. leaf-cutter ant colony.
Memorial, Judiciary Square, Penn The huge East Building is
Quarter, Smithsonian. @ 32, 34, designed to accommodate
36, 70. Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, large pieces of modern art.
11am–6pm Sun. Closed Jan 1, Dec 25. Centered in its courtyard is a
8 call (202) 842-6690. 9 call (202) giant red, blue, and black
842-6176. 7 = ∑ nga.gov mobile by Alexander Calder,
completed in 1976. Near the
One of Washington, DC’s top entrance is a sculpture by Henry
attractions, this superb museum Moore; the atrium displays a
was established when American 1977 tapestry by Joan Miró.
financier Andrew Mellon Elephant exhibit in the Rotunda at the
bequeathed his collection of National Museum of Natural History
European art to form the basis 6 National Museum
of a National Gallery of Art. of Natural History 7 National Museum
Spurred on by his example, of African Art
other collectors left their art to Map D4. Constitution Ave & 10th St,
the proposed museum. NW. Tel (202) 633-1000 (recorded Map D5. 950 Independence Ave, SW.
Of the two main buildings, message after museum hours). Tel (202) 633-1000. q Smithsonian.
q Smithsonian. @ 32, 34, 36.
the stately Neo-Classical-style Open 10am–5:30pm daily. Closed
West Building, opened in 1941, Open 10am–5:30pm daily (later on Dec 25. 8 7 = d ∑ si.edu/
some dates in spring and summer;
nmafa
features European art from the check calendar). Closed Dec 25. 8
13th to the 19th centuries. 10:30am & 1:30pm Mon–Fri. 9 7 This quiet museum is missed
The galleries of the modern East = - d ∑ nmnh.si.edu by many visitors, perhaps
Building are closed until late because much of its exhibition
2016, although the atrium Established in 1910, this vast space is under-ground. The
remains open. An underground museum’s collection of 120 small entrance pavilion at
concourse, with a cafeteria and million artifacts includes samples the ground level leads to three
shops, joins the two buildings. from the world’s diverse subterranean floors where
Matching wings flank a central cultures, as well as fossils and the exhibits are displayed.
rotunda in the West Building. living creatures from land The 7,000-piece permanent
West of the rotunda are the and sea. The museum’s collection includes both
galleries displaying Italian, Dutch, entrance leads into the lofty modern and ancient art from
Flemish, and Spanish art. The Rotunda, where visitors are Africa, although the majority
Italian paintings include works greeted by the impressive of pieces date from the 19th
by Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael and sight of a massive African Bush and 20th centuries. Traditional
Leonardo da Vinci; and other elephant. To the right of the African bronzes, ceramics, and
masterpieces on display include Rotunda is one of the most pottery are on display, as are
works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, popular areas of the museum, stunning ivory and gold objects,
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp234–6 and pp237–9

206-207_EW_USA.indd 206 11/2/16 3:54 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm