Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum, often abbreviated as SAAM, is a prominent institution located in Washington, D.C. and affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Alongside its associated museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM houses an extensive and inclusive assortment of American art spanning from the colonial era to contemporary times. This collection boasts representations from over 7,000 different artists.

Most of SAAM's exhibitions occur within its primary building, the Old Patent Office Building, which it shares with the National Portrait Gallery. Additionally, craft-focused exhibitions are held at the Renwick Gallery.

Noteworthy features of the museum include two distinctive public areas: the Luce Foundation Center for American Art and the Lunder Conservation Center. The Luce Foundation Center is remarkable as the first publicly accessible art storage and research center in Washington, D.C. It showcases over 3,300 artworks in 64 secure glass cases, substantially increasing the number of pieces from the permanent collection available for public viewing. This center displays paintings, sculptures, crafts, folk art objects, miniatures, medals, and large-scale sculptures.

The Lunder Conservation Center is another pioneering establishment, providing the public with a permanent view behind the scenes of art preservation efforts.

The museum also offers electronic resources to schools and the general public through its nationwide education initiative. It maintains seven online research databases, encompassing over 500,000 records, which includes the Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture. These inventories comprehensively document over 400,000 artworks in both public and private collections worldwide.

Tip:
The covered courtyard makes a great place to enjoy a snack (bring your own or visit the café) or just for a rest stop.