National Gallery of Art
4th St. & Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC
10:00 Am – 5:00 PM
www.nga.gov
Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985 – Sept. 21, 2025 – Jan. 11, 2026
Explores how photography shaped and documented the Black Power Movement, including pieces by over 100 artists.
Multiple Exposures Gallery
The Torpedo Factory Art Center, Studio 312
105 Union St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
www.multipleexposuresgallery.com
Mon-Sun 11 am – 5 pm
Portraits of Life and Land, Russell Creger Barajas and Guillermo Olaiziola – current through Nov. 23
The exhibition of twenty one images features a composite of pixels, ink, silver and paint with each image examining the surfaces and roots of life and the land.
Previous photographic exhibits may also be viewed online at www.multipleexposuresgallery.com under Exhibitions – Virtual Galleries.
Glen Echo Photoworks
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, MD
301-634-2274
Gallery Hours: Saturday & Sunday 1-4 PM
www.glenechophotoworks.org/gallery
I Come From, Karen Keating – current through Dec. 7
A retrospective of Karen Keating, executive director emerita of Photoworks, and her photographic journeys from the roots of her small town in Coshocton, Ohio, to her connection with people she met around the world.
Past gallery exhibits may also be viewed using the above link.
National Portrait Gallery
Eighth & G Streets
Washington, DC 20001
www.npg.si.edu
Mon-Sun. 11:30 am – 7:00 pm
American Winners: Athletes and Entertainers Who Shaped the Nation – current through Mar. 1, 2026
A storied exhibition of athletes and entertainers who defied gravity, broke records and dazzled audiences as depicted through photographs, paintings, sculptures and drawings,
Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age, by George Hurrell –
Through January 4, 2026
The preeminent photographer created timeless images of Hollywood’s most glamorous icons of the 1930s and 1940s.
From Shadow to Substance: Grand-Scale Portraits During Photography’s Formative Years – June 20, 2025 – June 7, 2026
The exhibit traces the evolution of the grand-scale, whole-plate format from the high-end daguerreotype to the mid-range ambrotype to the more affordable tintype.
Reserve Collection Highlights: Modern Prints from Matthew Brady’s Portrait Negatives – May 23, 2025 – May 14, 2028
Collection of the Portrait Gallery’s Civi War-era modern prints from the original photographic negatives. Portraits of Lincoln, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ulysses Grant, and Emma, Queen of Hawaii are featured.
The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today – Oct. 18 – Aug. 30 2026
Features thirty-five portraits from the museum’s seventh triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait competition.
National Museum of African American History & Culture
1400 Constitution Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20560
Mon: 12:00PM – 5:30 PM; Tues – Sun. 10:00AM – 5:30PM
Free Timed-Entry Passes Required
Forces for Change: Mary McLeod and Black Women’s Activism
July 19, 2024 – Ongoing
Featuring 75 images, artifacts and multimedia film, the exhibit illuminates connections across time to Black women changemakers who continue Mary McLeod Bethune’s social justice legacy.
Anacostia Community Museum
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, DC
(202) 633-4820
Open Daily 10AM – 5PM
www.anacostia.si.edu
ACM Main Gallery
Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900-2000 – current until January 4, 2026
Through original artworks, rare video footage, photography and artistic artifacts, A Bold and Beautiful Vision traces the story of teachers and students who made Washington, DC a truly unparalled center for Black arts education.
National Museum of the American Indian
4th Street and Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC
https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/insights-photos-and-stories-archives-exhib-6780
Insight: Photos and Stories from the Archive – May 23, 2025 – TBD
Features images from the Archives Center presenting an intimate view of indigenous lives across the Western Hemisphere. Each insightful photo has a story to tell, depicting everyday aspects of Native American life.
Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake – Ongoing
Exhibition focusing on the Native peoples of the Chesapeake Bay. area – Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware through photographs, maps, ceremonial and everyday objects.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.
Richmond, VA 23220
(804)340-1405
Open 365 days/yr.
Daily 10 am – 5pm; Wed., Thurs., Fri. until 9pm
General Admission is free
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swiss Beatz and Alicia Keys – Nov. 22, 2025 – March 1, 2026
The exhibition features over 130 works of art by forty Black artists and includes legendary photographers, iconic contemporary artists as well as emerging artists. The art on view are monumental works that tower in scale and thought and are a nod to the collector’s passion for lifting up the human spirit. Tickets required.
Alvin Lester: Portraits of Jackson Ward and Beyond – current through March 30, 2026
Features 20 photographs by Alvin Lester capturing the people, businesses, and neighborhoods that defined Richmond’s historic neighborhoods in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Free
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Ave, NW
Washington, DC. 20005
Tues. – Sun. 10 am – 5 pm
www.nmwa.org
See the website for ticket prices.
Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies – Oct. 15 – March 8, 2026
Through her photography-based art, Tawny Chatman addresses racist myths and elevates cultural truths. Centering on Black childhood and family bonds, her large scale photographs are embellished through digital techniques and meticulous handmade elements, honoring the preciousness of her subjects.
Ruth Orkin: Women on the Move – Dec. 12 – March 29, 2026
From WWII through the 1970, renowned photojournalist Ruth Orkin portrayed women breaking free from rigid gender roles.
Washington Post
Photography section: https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/
Going Out Guide: https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/
Art Section: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art
EVENTS
Mid-Atlantic Photo Visions – Nov. 1-2, 2025
George Mason University, Mason Square
Arlington, VA
www.midatlanticphotovisions.org
Admission to the event, its vendor area and gallery of juried images is free.
Presentations and workshops require tickets which can be purchased online or at the door.
Use discount code MAPVGUEST to receive a $9.75 discount on an All-Day Pass.
Weekend of photography, guest speakers, vendor exhibits, presentations and hands-on workshops.
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at the Wharf – Nov. 1, 2025
www.wharfdc.com/diadelosmuertos
3:00 – 7:00 PM
Visit website for details and community procession info
Ginkgo Grove – Brandy Experimental Farm – Peak color late Oct – early Nov.
The State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm
400 Blandy Farm Ln.
Boyce, VA 22620
www.blandy.virginia.edu/gingko-gold-weekends
With over 300 trees, Blandy’s Gingko Grove is one of the largest public gingko groves in America. In late October – early November, the gingko trees turn a vibrant golden yellow. It is best to check the website and social media for peak color predictions and updates.
Adams Morgan PorchFest – Nov. 1, 2025
2:00 – 6:00pm
www.adamsmorgan.com/porchfest
Free
A neighborhood music festival featuring 100 bands and over 20 performance stages throughout the residential and commercial streets of Adams Morgan.
Owl Moon Raptor Festival – Nov. 8
Black Hills Regional Park
20930 Lake Ridge Dr.
Boyds, MD 20841
12:00 – 4:00pm
www.owlmoon.org for exact location in the park
Free
Annual festival to learn about Birds of Prey. Opportunity to photograph the raptors.
National Veterans Day Parade – Nov. 9, 2025
Opening Ceremonies 11:00 am at the National Archives
Parade begins at Noon and will march from 7th and Constitution Ave to the White House.
www.nationalveteransparade.org
National Parks Day – Free Admission Nov. 11, 2025
Check to see if the national park you would like to visit is open at this time due to the government shutdown.
Photo Print Swap – Nov. 11, 2025 6:00 – 7:00PM
The Delaplaine Arts Center
40 S. Carroll St.
Frederick, MD 21701
(301)698-0656
Free
www.delaplaine.org/event/photo-print-swap
Meet with area photographic artists and collect some new works of art. Chat about your work and processes and trade some photographs. Prints should be no larger than 12×12 inches, must be your original work, unframed and may be of any photographic medium.
Longwood Gardens Holiday Displays
1001 Longwood Road
Kennet Square, PA 19348
Timed Admission Tickets Required
www.longwoodgardens.org
Garden Railway – current through Jan. 11, 2026
Collection of large scale trains rumbling along 500 feet of track amid flowering plants and textural foliage.
Chrysanthemum Festival – current through Nov. 16, 2025
A living masterpiece of the chrysanthemum in 66 specialty forms.
A Longwood Christmas – Nov. 21, 2025 – Jan. 11, 2026
Become immersed in hundreds of thousands of indoor and outdoor lights, displays and holiday blooms.
ZooLights – Nov. 21, 2025 – Jan. 3, 2026
Smithsonian National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Advanced tickets required
www.nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/events/zoolights
Walk down festive paths and explore immersive displays throughout the Zoo.
Season’s Greetings – Nov. 27, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
U.S. Botanical Garden
100 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20001
10:00 am – 5:00pm
www.usbg.gov/holiday
Free
Annual display of poinsettias, holiday decor and D.C. landmarks made from plants.
Note: as of this posting and due to the government shutdown, the website has not been updated to reflect the new season.
Sailing Through the Winter Solstice – Nov. 22, 2025 – March 2026
Carroll Creek Park
50 Carroll Creek Way
Frederick, MD 21701
www.visitfrederick.org/sailing-into-the-winter-solstice
View anytime day or night
Return of the Carroll Creek lighted sailboats which serves as a fundraiser for Frederick County nonprofit organizations.
Plan Ahead:
54th Annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade – Dec. 6
11 am – 1 pm
Old Town Alexandria
Celebrate Alexandria’s Scottish heritage with dozens of Scottish Clans dressed in colorful tartans, joined by pipe and drum bands, terriers and hounds and more.
www.visitalexandria.com/holidays/scottish-walk
25th Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights – Dec. 6
Old Town Alexandria Waterfront – 5:30pm
www.visitalexandria.com/holidays/boat-parade
.