Category Archives: Exhibit

April 27, 2022 · 10:18 am

Explore Afro-Atlantic Histories at this National Gallery of Art Community Festival on Saturday!

This Saturday, April 30, the National Gallery of Art welcomes you to join the Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival, a special day-long event highlighting the arts and culture of the African Diaspora.

This John Wilmerding Community Celebration will be offered in conjunction with the new Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition, an enlightening and in-depth look at the historical experiences and cultural formations of Black and African people since the 17th century. If you haven’t yet experienced it, this weekend is a perfect time to go, when there will be activities for all ages to enjoy along with the collection of art!

Highlights of the festival include:

Jamaican cooking demonstrations and free samples from Executive Chef Christopher Curtis (12pm, 1pm, and 2pm — registration required)
Opportunities to shop from local makers All Very Goods, Bailiwick Clothing, Rayhart Art, and Andy Factory Sauces
The first live performance of visionary artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons’s When We Gather — a procession from the East Garden Court to the steps of the museum’s National Mall entrance (1pm)
Other musical performances from Batala Washington, Sticks + Bars Youth Marimba Ensemble, and East of the River Steelband

The Festival will take place in various locations of the museum’s West Building. Catch musical performances at the National Mall entrance and the West Garden Court. Food Demos will be held in the Cascade Café, and you can find creator pop-ups and other festivities in the East Garden Court. View more details and the full schedule of the day’s activities here.

Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival
Where: National Gallery of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, April 30, 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free

This post is sponsored by the National Gallery of Art, however, I only promote events, programs, and places that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

Explore the Rails with Thomas & Friends at the National Children’s Museum

[Note: This post was written by KFDC Contributor Emily Moise, a local writer and mom of two young children. She always has excellent recommendations for kids’ activities around the DC area. See some of them here, here, and here.

Attention all train lovers: Thomas has entered the National Children’s Museum! Thomas & Friends™: Explore the Rails!, an interactive exhibit created at the Minnesota Children’s Museum and geared for ages 2-7, is open now through Sunday, May 15. If you have a Thomas groupie like I do, or if you just want to discover the magic of the #1 blue engine and his friends, get your tickets to get on board today.

The large-scale Thomas and Percy trains will grab your kids attention immediately. Thomas is equipped with life-like levers that activate life-like train sounds. Percy is engineered to teach a science lesson through people-power. Spin wheels to input coal and water into the engine, creating enough steam to hear Percy roar. On the other side, Percy’s wheels need fixing to get him back on track.

The train set to put your train set to shame is likely where your kids will spend most of their time. We identified a few must-haves for our tracks at home, before prodding my son along to the rest of the exhibit. We also loved a smaller track set up for experimenting with ramp angles to get trains over a hill. For the littlest ones, you’ll find a confined space with toddler-appropriate engines.

Aside from the STEM-oriented play, pretend play is found throughout with a ticket booth, train cars, costumes, and props. And history buffs, or parents who have spent a lot of time with Thomas, will appreciate the corner of memorabilia and information on the creators, iterations, and celebrity narrators. There are also books and a viewing screen if your child needs a break from the action.

Covid Safety: The museum recommends purchasing tickets in advance to ensure admission with reduced capacity and timed sessions. Masks are required for all visitors ages 2+. You can learn more about the museum’s COVID safety protocols here. And you can read more about the National Children’s Museum in this KFDC post.

National Children’s Museum
Where: 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW | Washington, DC 20004
When: Thursday – Sunday, 9:30am – 12:30pm & 1:30-4:30pm
Admission: $15.95/ages 1+, free/under 1 & members

Immerse in Life of a Neuron at ARTECHOUSE

ARTECHOUSE has explored a variety themes and concepts through digital art since it opened in Southwest DC just over four years ago. The gallery known for its fusion of art and technology has presented exhibitions inspired by seasons, space, natural phenomenon, color, and more themes that are part of our human experience, though outside of our actual beings.

The newest exhibition, Life of a Neuron, takes us on the inside as it features the “thinking cells” of the brain.

As ARETCHOUSE describes it: “Life of a Neuron brings artists and scientists together for a groundbreaking collaboration to explore how the brain shapes the shared human experience. Through collaboration with the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s leading scientists and creatives, this immersive exhibit will allow us to experience a neuron—from pre-birth to death—providing an experiential view of life at a cellular level.”

Like all exhibitions there, the core installation is the digital projections in the main gallery. Trippy, captivating scenes swirl around the walls and floors while dramatic music plays in the background. It’s interesting to see what kinds of images and color combinations are coming next. (Note: While some past exhibits at ARTEHOUSE have been soothing and peaceful, this one isn’t so much, something to be aware of for kids who are sensitive to a lot of stimulation.)

The side galleries feature smaller installations with interactive elements. They looked intriguing, though to be honest, it was difficult to get a close look at all of them during the media preview, as we were trying to maintain space. (Timed-entry tickets during the exhibit’s run should keep that from being an issue.)

The bar is back open — Thursday – Monday, 11am – 10pm — with its menu of exhibit-inspired cocktails, plus beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. Sasha and I enjoyed refreshing sodas, and I recommend the Rosemary Cardamom! Be sure to download the ARTECHOUSE the app for the “extended reality” experience that transforms drinks into sparkling sensations!