Very interesting place! Nice and interesting art here from sculptures to paintings to murals and other interesting artworks. Heck, even the architecture of the building itself is an interesting work of art! I took these photos at the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. Only problem is that it gets overcrowded here, but it is definitely worth a visit when it reopens soon, so keep checking back on that! Oh yes, and I almost forgot to mention that they have a large human-sized color wheel gallery that you can walk around, which I included in one of my photos.

I never want to give a Smithsonian less than 5 stars, because they are all unique and deserving of starlet recognition in their own right, but the way I felt so disappointed after leaving here is only fair for me to be honest.It seems that I came to visit Hirshhorn at the worst possible time. It was August 2021 and the entire outside cylinder is covered in metal platforms for renovation. Inside, there was only one floor open with exhibits to walk through (out of at least 3 floors, I think there was maybe 4) and even then there was at least one section where it was literally an empty room and nothing at all.The sole floor we got to see was okay. I would describe a lot of it as super modern art- like, the type that’s so modern and interpretive you question if it’s actually art. It was cool to read the thoughts behind some of them for more context, but to be honest most of it just lost me. But that’s really more personal and I wouldn’t knock that ever on the artists.My favorite part was the interactive exhibit. I can’t remember the artist’s name, but they had a collection on silhouettes, so as the visitor we got to create our own silhouettes and hang them up. Super cool. You rarely get the interaction like that in those big museums.Another issue: the gift shop and cafe were not open when we went. The cafe didn’t even look like it had kitchen furniture in it or was even close to ready.I’d say the best part was the sculpture garden. Seriously, that was really neat and a fun walkthrough. I really think I came at a terrible time and I’d consider coming back later when it’s all done renovating, yet at the same time I don’t want to be disappointed again. But I’d still say this is lower on the museum priority list no matter.

Definitely a cool place to see! Still under construction when we went (Sep 20) but for What was open it was really fun. Will update next time we go!

Amazing exhibition THE WEATHER of Laurie Andersons work

One of the coolest modern art experience!

Great exhibition. Love this.

Cool pieces and exhibits. Nice stop to cool off, get some water, and take in a little culture. Cant wait for the exhibit on the 2nd floor to open.

Unimpressive with an anti-American narrative. The contemporary art was the sort of modern art that anyone can replicate, the kind that can be interpreted however one likes and is basically meaningless. One of the rooms actually had 4 black rectangles painted on a white wall protected by a guard rail. Hard to believe this is a Smithsonian Museum. Come for a laugh.

Under construction, the only exhibit open was on the third level in addition to the sculpture garden. I’d say skip for now, unless you are a Duchamp fan.

My favorite museum in DC. Contemporary installations with beautiful and occasionally mesmerizing exhibits that showcase a large variety of artists and mediums. I cant see a reason Id stop going!

One of my favorite Art museums.Usually a very cool exhibit is up and running. Sometimes you have to be patient while they are installing🙂

Fun visit! Some exhibits are currently closed, so I didn’t need that much time to see everything carefully (think ~1-~1.5 hours)

What an amazing place! Havent been for years, but so happy to have had an afternoon with my cousin in town, to just relax and enjoy that experience!

Overall not a good experience. A lot of the museum was closed off, I’d say about 60% for renovation. Rather go to the other museums close by that are more interactive.

It was under construction but what was available to see was amazing. The Laurie Anderson exhibit was beautiful, surreal, and sad. I remember standing in one of the rooms and just staring at a piece on the floor. I stood there ten minutes crying and I couldnt even understand why.

There is very little on view with the August 2021 reopening. Its disappointing since they were the last Smithsonian museum on the Mall to reopen. Empty spaces on the 3rd floor with sofas and nothing else. It would have been nice to see some pieces from the collection instead of dark rooms. No open galleries on the other floors. No gift shop or coffee bar yet. It just feels like they didnt really want to welcome people back.

Recently renovated and very cool. Enjoyed the current Laurie Anderson exhibit. Wish the sculpture garden was open later. It closes at 4:30.

Theyve got some pretty interesting art here that you can really appreciate somehow. Its cool to pop into thats for sure and its free!

One of the most fascinating museums on the mall with outstanding exhibitions.

My friend and I accidentally stumbled upon this place as we were on our way to the other more popular museums. This place is great!!! we are so glad that we found it. There is also a statue garden in front of the museum. be sure to check it all out. Highly recommend this place.

Very interesting experience, all the way down to the architecture itself. Perfect for lovers of the abstract and experimental

Very cool exhibits. Not your average art gallery. Very visually and audibly stimulating.

The Laurie Anderson exhibit is phenomenal. The garden outside the museum is also beautiful!

Check their website for which exhibits are showing! The museum is very easy to navigate due to its design.

Got 2 glo up at the Yayoi Kusuma “Infinity Mirrors” exhibit a few years ago. Never seen lines like that for any museum 😵😭💯 but the staff handled it w ease and it was the greatest museum experience I’ve ever had. Gotta love those Barbara Kruger entrance murals 🐐🙏🏾🎨💫 Became a certified Hirshhorn member that day #squad 😎💯

So many interesting exhibits. There was an exhibit on manifestos and three floors of different types of artwork. The entire museum took about 3 hours to walk through. There are also video exhibits that bring the experience to another dimension—especially for people who like modern art, this is such a captivating place with different perspectives and understandings.

Very interesting place

Although there is a lot of construction, you just couldnt tell once you arrived inside. The atmosphere are artwork were fantastic.

Visited last year, and it was good.. Kids liked it much.. Im not too much into Art, but my kids were happy.. very courteous service, and its free ! good for a quick 1-2 hour walk through the museum.. Visit if you have time ... and if you are interested in arts :)

One of my favorite museums in the entire world! The museum is part of the Smithsonian which means free admission, and its not huge so it can be walked in a few hours max. The smaller size makes it a perfect venue for rotating exhibits. The circular layout is reminiscent of the Guggenheim in NYC. And a subtle thing I noted on my recent visit was that the escalator spits your out in a counterclockwise route on one level and a clockwise direction on the other. Very clever! The sculpture garden trumps the museums interior gallery--which is no small feat. Bravo on this excellent contemporary art museum in our nations capital.

Great Modern Art Museum. Open, but only one floor is open. Worth a short visit.

Never seen anything quite like it. The entire museum (not counting the plaza and sculpture garden, which are also worth visiting) is comprised of six rotating exhibits split between three levels - two above the entry level and one below. It’s definitely not for everyone and there is adult content in some of the exhibits (it’s not for children) but I thoroughly enjoy my time here every time.It’s a quick visit, especially if you don’t do the whole thing so I recommend coming here after or before seeing aerospace, American History, or natural history for a nice change of pace.

Always love coming back. The variety of art amazes me and keeps my mind open. Ready for new collections!

As a local, my absolute favorite museum. Its a the perfect size with modern, contemporary artists and often an interactive tech components that really makes you feel like youre a part of the exhibit. The exhibitions also change every few months, making revisiting well worth the trip. Like most other museums in DC, its also free.

Best Mall museum for contemporary and modernist art. Somewhat undervisited but would you want it to be like Air and Space? No, you wouldnt. Good gifte shoppe. Coffee bar staffed by attractive young people. You should go.

If you love modern art, then the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the place to go. Not as vast as the other museums on the National Mall, but you get a good dose of very creative film art. The building has a unique circular layout and beautifully simplistic.

Was a very unique experience. Spent about 3hrs here! I got here before it opened. Luckily there was a lobby they opens early

The building layout is a little bit interesting; its all around a central escalator. The main floor has big windows and a comfortable seating area.The exhibit I saw was Manifesto: Art x Agency, which provided a good combination of historical context and interesting art. I saw a Magritte I hadnt seen before, and the Four Freedoms photos from just last year.It was great and I intend to go back.

Worth the visit, despite and because of the construction!

There was some very extraordinary artwork. Its a very entertaining place.

Late review but I came just in time for the mirrors exhibit. This is my first time visiting this museum and I was very impressed. I only had time to see that one exhibit but will definitely come back to check out the other ones that I saw in passing which also piqued my interest. We spent hours going through the several things on display and enjoy every minute of it as it was attractive and also interactive.

The great Museum to visit. The work of some of the great places and people have been sum up under one roof. I liked the this museum since it very informative and scope of art is displayed in true sense. One of the best in Smithonian museums. The cool part is that the entry is free..

I went just to see the Mark Bradford exhibit- Pickett’s Charge. I am no Civil War history buff or scholar, but I was highly motivated to see this exhibit by an African American contemporary artist. It takes up the entire third floor outer circular perimeter and deserves more than just an half hour to fully appreciate. Like most exhibits at this modern museum, it’s not just abstract or pop art, but meaningful art that tells a story and will have a lasting place in art history.

Love it with contemporary artists 🎨

Nice place to see some different different types of artwork. Roughly 4 flies of different exhibits displaying various genres of modern to contemporary artwork.

Varied interesting collections inside and out. Not a huge museum but worth an hour or two! There is a nice coffee shop and reading area on the main floor and a small but well stocked gift shop on the lower level; unfortunately the courtyard Dolcezza gelato shop is closed in the winter 😢

Funky museum with varied exhibits. Small size allows you to see most everything they have to offer. Definitely see the sculpture gardern.

Sadly a lot was closed because they were putting new exhibits up. Hopefully they’ll be impressive!

Hands down one of the best contemporary arts museums Ive been to till now. The interiors and the pieces around the museum itself make you interested and curved walls lead you on. They showcase many unique exhibitions every month and some of them are utterly breathtaking and make you challenge your perspective. Would definitely recommend to all art enthusiasts!

Enjoy both the infrastructure of the museum and the works of art within. The circular layout with more exhibition spaces branching out around it is unique.I appreciate when Mark Bradford uses the curvature of the walls to showcase his eight huge canvases; a mixed media piece collectively named Picketts Charge. They are worth your time sitting in front of them to soak in the colors, texture, and emotion they seek to trigger.There are some construction going on during my visit and so, the experience was a little distracting. Nevertheless, I am glad to have visited it.

Great exhibit.

The Hirshhorn (free entry) is a contemporary and modern art museum and member of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The museum is located along in a round shaped building that has been likened to a spacecraft parked at The Mall. It is next to the Smithsonian Castle. Opening Hours are 10am to 5.30pm daily.The museum includes several floors of exhibition space focusing on works from the last 50 years. During our last visit in May 2016, we particularly enjoyed the Linn Meyer Our View from Here exhibition featuring a range of shapes formed solely by uninterrupted individual lines. This was beauty in simplicity and something we both really enjoyed seeing. Quite original, methodical and delightfully interesting images formed by Meyer.We also enjoyed the Suspended Animation films shown on the lower level as well as the peculiar Belief + Doubt exhibition by Barbara Kruger. Here the entire space is covered in intriguing phrases and sayings of various sizes, making use of black, white & red colour. It is an original art form that immerses viewers in language in all directions, which has the great effect of capturing your attention to provoking your thoughts.There is a small gift shop on the lower level of the Hirshhorn but no restaurant or cafe here. There are some tables outside in the plaza area as well as sculptures scattered around the main building. For those who enjoy this art form, you should definitely allow time for the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, just across the Jefferson on the Mall.In the end, we like the Hirshhorn Museum, finding this to be a nice complement to the NGA and other art museums and galleries around the city. The contemporary art exhibitions here, at least during our recent visit, were child and family friendly and overall, pretty good works.Note: You can visit the Hirshhorn Museum website before deciding to include a stop here during trips to D.C. They have a updated list of current and future exhibitions so you can have a think about what is available to view during the period of your intended visit to the capital ahead of time.

Been a while since I have walked through the Garden. Notice they removed several sculptures and replaced them with plants. There was no sign of replacements coming. Other than that amazing statutes

A very well done modern art museum. I was truly in awe. The video flag, and manifesto were some really unique highlights. Loved the Warhol and Pollack works that were there as well.

- awesome museum- lots of stuff to take pictures of- its freePlan on spending 1 & 1/2 hours here to see everything- Id recommend this museum

I loved the variety of mediums and inclusion of digital work. The museum shows modern artworks from their collection, but also brings in work, and expands with new acquisitions. They are working to engage children with Pepper the robot and storytime. I appreciated the level of engagement on the tour and how knowledgeable the gallery guides are. I enjoyed a tasty mocha at the small cafe and spent a while in the densely packed gift shop staffed by a very nice woman.

A fabulous Smithsonian. This is the contemporary and modern art museum of the Smithsonians collective on the National Mall. The building itself is impossible to miss as it stands in stark contrast to the majority of buildings on the Mall. Inside all the galleries are laid out in the circular patter of the building itself. The art inside varies and although not to my particular taste, I found it thought provoking and worthy of a visit. My only negative experience was with the over zealous and rude security staff. I was sitting in the coat check room on the floor using a wall outlet to charge my phone. A female security guard approached me and in a directive rude way told me unplug my phone, that I wasnt allowed to use the wall outlets. Obviously a petty person on a pathetic power trip of some sort. I complied with her instruction and unplugged my phone. I then went to the front desk and told them what had happened, the staff told me the security officer was wrong and called a supervisor guard over and informed him of the situation. I then went right back down stairs directly to the woman, informed her she was wrong and that Ive informed the museum staff and her supervisor and then proceeded to plug my phone back in and continued charging it. Petty people with nominal authority always make for comical encounters.

The exhibits were very interesting and fascinating. The view from one room was really cool, which is the photos I shared. The art is much more interesting!

Such an interesting Museum for contemporary art! Is refreshing to find a collection like this within the Museums and exhibitions at DC

Amazing FREE contemporary art museum. Well lighted, clean, and as an art nerd there was a lot to see there that both I hadnt seen and wanted to see. Great collection, beautiful building.

Just an amazing place to visit and see what other peoples minds can create!!!

Very interesting exhibitions. I loved Manifesto: Art x Agency. A must se in DC for anyone that enjoys modern art.

Great museum that gets too easily lost among the Smithsonian museums. A must-visit of great exhibits with a statue garden in front.

It was nice experience for our kids. Three levels of art. The sculptures outside were interesting as well.

Modern art museum with unique and creative art pieces. For a quick visit, allow an hour and a half. If you are into art and art appreciation, this is a half day to full day stop.

Interesting displays, liked the fever dream room.

Love the exhibitions. Very creative and good arts displayed. Well managed museum.

Total waste of time! Skip it, there is so much to see and do in Washington DC, this is NOT one of them! Complete waste of time

The space is fine, but the collections are less than inspiring. Modern art today is dark and colorless with too much emphasis on politics. When artists sacrifice their creativity for propaganda, so much is lost. The sculpture garden is fine. Staff is very sweet.

Awesome place. The exhibits are always outstanding. Not too many children here like the other smithsonians. Smaller overall size is really nice because its not overwhelming. My favorite!

I didnt really like the featured artists - their work didnt impress me nor provoke the curiousity of the inner artist in me.

I love this museum. Amazing collections in an interesting building. People who work here are very kind and helpful especially the Italian-American lady at information desk.

Really interesting modern and contemporary art exhibits!

Was so glad we did this! Pulse exhibit was cool. It left me wanting more!

It took 2 hours to see all the pieces and it was really good curated. The gift shop is small and overal it is a relatively small museum that you can spend your afternoon in it.

Amazing Museum. Worth the visit

So so so in love with the Hirschhorn!Everything about this museum is great. There’s an adorable coffee shop in the lobby, the ladies working in the gift shop are incredibly sweet, and the ART. So great.I went while they had the Baselitz exhibit and it was incredibly well curated. My visit also coincided with some really hot/humid/generally gross weather and I appreciated all the little nooks scattered around where I could sit and chill and also be surrounded by cool art.Bonus points for some cool views on the top floor!

A great multi-story contemporary art museum. Look for docent-led tours of the various exhibitions; free, along with the rest of the Smithsonian. Great architecture as well.

The museum is closed until the end of August, but the sculpture garden is now open after its renovation. In the past Ive seen the fantastic Kusama Infinity Mirrors exhibit, only allowed 30 seconds in each room. Totally worth it. I loved Nicolas Party: sunrise, sunset, and went as often as I could knowing it would be painted over and never seen again. Im looking forward to works by both artists when the museum reopens as well as selections from the permanent collection of paintings and sculpture.

Really like the layout and walk through of this building. Three floors of art, a delicious coffee spot, and one of the best museum gift shops ever! Really unique items, books, art, jewellery to choose from.

Look closely, youll get out so much more.

How much you love it might depend on the exhibits and what you like, but the space is really cool and I like the circular layout. Also, the coffee counter in the bottom is awesome. And the sculpture garden is great on a nice day.

Very modern, unique art. We went to the top and walked down. Cant beat free admission, this is a good spot if youre really into art.

By far one my favorite Smithsonians!

Not really much going on. They dont have most of the cool things that are in prior pictures. Id skip this place for now.

Amazing !! I love how you get to learn a little more about an exhibit by listening to the artists

Neat little museum with some super! well! curated! special exhibitions. The current Baselitz exhibit in is not to be missed! It charts a perfect course from the unsettlingly dark early works thru the mad figurative fracture paintings thru the subtle, luminous recent works. I felt like the last few portraits would ascend thru the gallery ceiling and become the starry sky of a new galaxy.Oh, and if you havent been before, you missed Yayoi Kusama last year. So dont miss this one! Its literally free; theres no excuse.

Love coming to see the new exhibits. This is a must stop spot in DC.

This place was very interesting! Art is in the eye of the beholder.

Beautiful museum on the inside and out! Perfect for dates. The exhibits are always very interesting and the store has the coolest finds. So much to see here!

Amazing place to visit for very unique and modern art. Be sure to try the iced latte at the coffee shop

Whenever in Washington DC and lover of contemporary art, go and see the amazing exhibition What Absence Is Made Of. Not the classic retrospective but thematic on how artists have represented ideas instead of objects. From the folder What Absence Is Made Of also explores the personal and cultural anxieties surrounding advancements in computer animation, avatars, and artificial intelligence, as well as technology that makes the body obsolete. I went back twice. Existing peices from the collection with brandnew work acquired specifically for this exhibition.And a great App that explains based on a picture of the work, not a number on the wall. Well done Hirshhorn museum! Blown away...

This place is crazy amazing! Its really the only modern art museum I go to regularly. And this time Marcel Duchamp exhibit made me so happy....

Dont take children in here. Nice art exhibits but definitely not a place for kids under 8th grade.

If you are looking for a great selection of contemporary art, this is the place to go!

Most off this is closed off and not very much to see. What we could see, there wasnt much and it was not impressive.

This was my favourite place whilst visiting DC. A must do.

Great phallocentric exhibit. A must see if you are into erections.

Great place lots of fun but ask yourself how does art make you feel

Not into modern art BUT the Pulse exhibit was a tremendous experience