Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

This is one of the top African Art museums I have been to. The paintings, along with artifacts are amazing and give historical context within itself. They have a great gift shop that I recommend. This is a must see and will be visiting again on my next trip to DC.

This museum was absolutely beautiful! The art, energy and gift shop were so inspiring and intense. As I walked around the museum almost each section was so lovely that there were moments where I started to cry from the beauty of each piece. I would recommend every one of African descent to visit this beautiful place.

The Smithsonian Museum of African Art is truly a museum brimming with treasures and art from all across the African continent. I’ve been here several times (free admission to all), and each and every time I explore and discover different artefacts and pieces of art that are as creative as they are diverse.

During the summer months the museum also holds various events on the lawn area opposite its entrance, which are always super interesting and bring artists from across the US and the world 🌍.

On my last visit, I was really excited to teleport (or rather submerge) into the ‘From the Deep: In The Wave of Drexciya with Ayana V. Jackson’ exhibit that currently on!! It… was… Amazing! The exhibition covers a range of mediums that will stimulate all the senses; there’s even a meditation section with incense and music from the Drexciya band playing to to truly bring you into the world of the artist and the fictional underwater kingdom!

World class museum focusing on african art, ancient through present day. In one room expect to see a leather mask from the late 1800s and in another a video art project from a Ghanaian living in the UK featuring the George Floyd incident. This is a thought provoking area where you can visit multiple times without seeing everything. There are regularly scheduled tours, which are very informative and help interpret some of the more complex pieces - check the website before you head out for times.

Amazing museum, can't believe it took us years to check it out. Deceptively huge since it's mainly underground. Great mix of periods and diversity of pieces. We went on a weekend and it was very quiet. Highly recommended for visitors and residents.

This museum is filled with tons of colourful and unique art involving recycling old items. The free admission here is very nice. There are three different sublevels with each one having a different theme you can check out. Personally, my favourite art piece here was the ring made out of gasoline cans. The gift shop also had a huge variety of souvenirs made in Africa at a good price. I am glad I checked this place out and you definitely should too! Highly recommend!

This museum is one of my favorites. The 3 subterranean levels of sculpture, costume and artifacts is fantastic. I wish there was twice as much to see! African art is full of color, imagination, playfulness and an earthy and respectful relationship with the finite resources of the planet. I go back whenever I can.

Initially, I wanted to check it out just to see what this museum had to offer. We ended up being there for over two hours. It was extremely interesting with beautiful art. Sam, the curator, gave us a tour about the lower area of the exhibits. I'm glad to see that some exhibits that once contained items are now empty. The pieces were rightfully returned to their people and countries in Africa.

Incredible museum with traditional pieces to contemporary vibrant artwork, sculptures, and interactive exhibits. We liked how spacious the facility is, and we can't believe it was not busy, a museum of this caliber would be packed in other major cities. The basement level has an underground connecting tunnel to the Asian museum, we liked the convenience, and it's an easy way to see 2 impressive museums.

Make sure you check out the incredible current exhibit "From The Deep" and the African Movement class happening the first 3 Saturdays of July, August and September - such a great way to start the weekend. A bit of dance, a bit of art and then we headed out for brunch!!

What a breath of fresh air!

The African Art museum is absolutely stunning and full of culture, fun, and history. This place is incredible and may be one of my new favorite Smithsonians.

When you walk in, to be able to see the exhibits you go down. Then, you go down again. Oh, and then down one more time. There are 3-4 levels to look at, and each one is further down into the ground. Just the setup in itself is so different from other museums and you feel how distinct it is.

It’s hard to even know what else to say except that this museum is so breath taking and charged with emotion. The story behind a lot of the pieces is heart breaking, but I love that we get to learn more and be exposed in such a special way with this art.

All I can say is, you should definitely visit this one. It will take you well over an hour or two, but everything is so captivating and it’s history and art that deserves to be shown and appreciated. Major respect and love for this museum!

950 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20560

Open every day 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is free.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history.

The Washington DC-based Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) removed 18 Benin Bronzes from display because they were looted by the British colonialists from the now lost Kingdom of Benin.

Beautiful museum. The tapestry to share memories was a nice touch and the black and white photos…nostalgic. The gift store is a must visit.

A great way to spend a morning or afternoon. The magnificent permanent collection is displayed beautifully and the special exhibits are worth seeing before they close. The gift shop is a great place to find hand crafted jewelry or African art that's unique and affordable. There are books, clothing, baskets and more.

Great exhibitions and amazing ancient African art! A three level museum connected through a tunnel with the Asian Art museum.

Fantastic and underrated. It’s compact and and absolutely worth your time. The special exhibit From the Deep was INCREDIBLE.

My first time at a Smithsonian Museum, I found it to be very entertaining and educational. The staffs we're helpful to direct me to y desired floor. Exceptionally clean restroom, I like the little paper activity qustionaire, overall I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

This museum looks like one of the smaller Smithsonians from the outside but what lies below is a series of large rooms and artwork that will surprise you. There are multiple levels to this museum and it is wheelchair accessible. The exhibits range from older historic headdress and paintings to modern sculptures and recycled art. The display signage gives some insight on the artists' purpose. Note that some exhibits have been removed due to the Smithsonian Institution recognizing the trauma and history of the items, they are currently deciding whether to bring some slavery related items back so some areas are seemingly empty but there is still a lot to see.

I arrived after opening and had the place to myself. Incredible carvings, sculptural works, and a variety of media's. It was an education on how art can speak to you individually. The values, textures, and spaces within shapes all work together to denote that connection to the artist. The atmosphere that was created by the curators is distinct amongst all the local museums.

Like all Smithsonians, it is excellent and free. They feature a wide range of traditional and contemporary African art. The collections are a bit smaller than many other Smithsonians, so it may take you only a few hours to go through. The museum shop is excellent. I particularly liked the beadwork. One annoyance was that some of their exhibits asked you to scan a QR code to get the explanation. Fortunately, most of the exhibits still had signs. Hopefully, this isn't where the Smithsonians are headed. I don't want to have to break out my phone while exploring the museum.