"The Sky's The Limit" National Museum of Women in the Arts Announces October 21, 2023 Reopening

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Space to Soar: NMWA's Renovation Plan

NMWA Press Release

Washington Post story

"The National Museum of Women in the Arts will close Aug. 9 for a two-year renovation that will add gallery space and an education studio, improve accessibility and upgrade the mechanical systems in its historic building. The $66 million project is the first renovation since the museum opened in 1987."

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Final week before NMWA's two year renovation closure.  Get there if you can. 

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This week, NMWA announced its reopening date and inaugural exhibition after a monumental two-year renovation.  

NMWA Press Release

"The National Museum of Women in Arts (NMWA), the world’s first major museum solely dedicated to championing women artists, reopens its extensively renovated building on October 21, 2023. The transformed museum will feature new exhibition spaces, re-envisioned public programming areas, improved amenities and increased accessibility for visitors at its historic home at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C. In addition to an expansive reinstallation of the collection, NMWA will present an inaugural exhibition, The Sky’s the Limit, featuring powerful monumental sculpture and immersive installations by a dozen contemporary women artists, in an innovative presentation not possible prior to the renovation."

"NMWA will reopen with a special exhibition focused on women’s pioneering work in large-scale sculpture. On view October 21, 2023, through February 25, 2024, The Sky’s the Limit presents artworks by 12 artists, including Petah Coyne, Cornelia Parker, Mariah Robertson, Shinique Smith, Joana Vasconcelos and Ursula von Rydingsvard. Sculptures will be suspended from the ceiling, arc across walls and project outward from corners, inspiring close encounters with artworks.

The core of The Sky’s the Limit is a group of never-before-exhibited works from NMWA’s collection. The renovation has created purpose-built spaces for art of all kinds, inspiring bold installations that tell a fuller story of women in art—notably encompassing powerful and monumental work. Highlights include Mariah Robertson’s 164-foot-long abstract photograph Untitled (9) (2011), which cascades from the ceiling; Joana Vasconcelos’s Rubra (2016), an illuminated chandelier made from crocheted wool and Murano glass; Shinique Smith’s Daisies Up Your Butterfly (2013), a hanging bundle crafted from reclaimed clothing, which brims with the energy of secrecy and discovery; and Cornelia Parker’s ghostly Thirty Pieces of Silver (exhaled) Sugar Bowl (2003), featuring steamrolled silver teapots and musical instruments that hover above the floor as if by magic."

Washingtonian

City Paper

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I was lucky to have a sneak peak mini tour of the renovated NMWA.

The Great Hall on the first floor remains largely the same but re-freshed.  The 2nd and 3rd floor gallery spaces have been totally transformed.  An amazing job creating a more contemporary space to showcase the artwork.  In addition, the performance hall has been renovated and a new education center and library have been created.  A lot of work has also been done behind the scenes: completely new office spaces for the staff, a new HVAC system and environmental controls (extremely important for protecting the artwork on view), new storage facilities for the art not on view, and renovations to the exterior of the building.     

It's a really a remarkable project. 

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Grand re-opening this weekend!

Washingtonian

New York Times

ArtNet