Art Museum of the Americas
The Art Museum of the Americas exhibits modern and contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean
The Art Museum of the Americas is part of the Organization of American States (OAS) and displays modern and contemporary art by Latin American and Caribbean artists. It’s a small museum but well worth visiting for its unique collection and beautiful courtyard. There are typically two exhibits on display at the museum – one on each of its two floors. Many of the artists featured rarely see recognition outside of Latin America.
Before entering the museum, check out the statue of Simón Bolívar in the plaza on the other side of 18th Street. Bolívar was the “George Washington of Venezuela” (according to the National Parks Service sign by the statue) and fought to free several Latin American countries from Spanish rule.
Currently on display on the main floor of the Art Museum of the Americas, The Great Swindle by Colombian artist Santiago Montoya explores our relationship with money. The artist uses patterns and collages to show off the various colors and national images on currency from around the world.
The large scale of the art (particularly in the second room of the exhibit) contrasts with the intricate details on each currency to pull of a surprisingly large impact while maintaining a minimalist presentation. The Great Swindle exhibit ends on March 26, 2017, so stop by soon if you want to check it out.
The building that houses the Art Museum of the Americas has interesting architectural features. It is the former residence of the OAS Secretary General and is built in the Spanish Colonial style. Turning the corner from the exhibit on the main floor, adventurers are treated with a lovely enclosed porch covered in decorative tile.
Between the sunlight streaming in through the large windows and the bright blue tile, adventurers could (and should!) spend several minutes just enjoying this pass-through to the rest of the exhibit on the main floor.
This Art Museum of the Americas is rarely busy. It is just far enough from the Mall and downtown that tourists (and many locals) don’t usually stumble upon it, making it a great choice during the busier tourist months to get some relief from the crowds.
The museum is free, but some visitors have reported that some of attendants at the entrance are more aggressive than others at mentioning the suggested donation. I did not experience any pressure to donate during my visit.
After leaving the museum, turn left to head east on Constitution Avenue. On your left, check out the OAS sculpture garden. There is an unfortunate lack of information about each piece, but adventurers will find an eclectic mix of modern art and busts of important poets and other figures from Latin America. The sculpture garden isn’t listed on Google Maps, but adventurers can see it from the sidewalk on Constitution.
Then turn north up 17th Street to check out the statue of Queen Isabella of Spain, who sent Christopher Columbus to discover the “New World.” The texture on this piece is amazing! She sits in front of the OAS headquarters, near the sidewalk.
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Address
201 18th Street NW
Metro Station
- Farragut West (OR, BL, SV)
Cost
Free
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Length of Adventure
1 hour
