Vacation Ideas: The National Gallery Of Art, Washington, DC, USA

nThe National Gallery of Art is located on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1.

Calendars of EventsnnTo find out what is happening at the National Gallery of Art at any time during the year, call 202-842-6662 for a free bimonthly calendar of events.

The National Gallery Sculpture GardennnThe National Gallery of Art is designed to provide year-round enjoyment to the public in one of the preeminent locations on the National Mall. It includes seventeen works from the Gallery’s growing collection and loans for special exhibitions.

This elegant, yet informal, Garden includes new plantings of native American species of canopy trees, flowering trees, shrubs, ground covers, and perennials. In the center of the garden stands a fountain that serves as an ice rink in winter. Walking and seating areas provide visitors a chance to rest and reflect on the works on view.

The Pavilion Café provides visitors year-round café service and indoor seating. Café hours are Labor day through mid-November, Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Beginning in mid-November, the hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Sculpture Garden is enclosed by a decorative metal fence with marble piers and plinths, designed to reflect the historic character of the West Building. The Sculpture Garden is accessible to visitors with disabilities. The hours are Labor Day through mid-November, Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Mid-November through mid-March 2008 Monday-Thursday, 10:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink is open mid-November through mid-March 2008, Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

To learn about exhibitions and receive general information call 202-737-4215 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 202-842-6176

Gallery TalksnnGallery Talks are given by members of the Gallery’s education division and begin in the West Building Rotunda, the East Building Information Desk, the East Building Small Auditorium or the Sculpture Garden Pavilion.

Upcoming Gallery Talk:nn• Introducing Art: Reading the Christmas Story in Art, 50 minutes by Philip Leonard. Dates are: November 22, 23, 27 and 30. December 1, 4, 6, 11, 13, and 24 at 1:00 p.m.

Source: The National Gallery of Art OnlinennImportant Disclaimer: The URL address in the resource box of this article is not associated with any of the attractions mentioned in this article. This article and the web site are offered as a resource for formulating vacation ideas.nnnnThis article is FREE to publish with the resource box.nn© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reservedn