Smithsonian American Art Museum
Washington D.C. · United States · Founded 1829
Good for: Art Lovers · First-timers · Rainy-day visits
1829
Founded
1 million
Annual Visitors
2 hours
Recommended Visit
Art
Museum type
Quick answer
Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C., United States — the Smithsonian American Art Museum (commonly known as SAAM) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Open Daily: 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM. Admission: ✓ Free admission. World Museum Guide covers the highlights, getting there, and how long to allow (2 hours).
Verified 2026-06-30 against official sources.
About Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (commonly known as SAAM) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds one of the world's largest and most inclusive collections of art, from the colonial period to the present, made in the United States.
The museum has more than 7,000 artists represented in the collection. Most exhibitions take place in the museum's main building, the old Patent Office Building.
The museum provides electronic resources to schools and the public through its national education program. It maintains seven online research databases with more than 500,000 records.
The Kogod Courtyard, with its elegant glass canopy, connects the SAAM with the National Portrait Gallery, creating one of Washington's most beloved indoor public spaces.
2 hours highlights route
A focused route through 2 must-see highlights at Smithsonian American Art Museum without museum fatigue. · 2 hours
- 1
Nam June Paik's Electronic Superhighway
📍 Lincoln Gallery
A 15-metre-wide wall of 336 TV monitors showing video clips of all 50 US states.
- 2
Niagara
📍 Lincoln Gallery
Church's panoramic canvas of Niagara Falls — at the time the most celebrated American painting.
Masterworks & must-see highlights
The works that define Smithsonian American Art Museum — and why they matter.
Nam June Paik's Electronic Superhighway
Nam June Paik · 1995
📍 Lincoln Gallery
A 15-metre-wide wall of 336 TV monitors showing video clips of all 50 US states. One of the largest and most celebrated works of video art, prophetically depicting the internet age before most people had access to it.
Niagara
Frederic Edwin Church · 1857
📍 Lincoln Gallery
Church's panoramic canvas of Niagara Falls — at the time the most celebrated American painting. The horizontal format creates an almost photographic immersive effect, pulling viewers into the mist and roar of the falls.
Collections & highlights
- • Among the Sierra Nevada, California by Albert Bierstadt
- • Electronic Superhighway by Nam June Paik
- • The Adams Memorial
- • Kogod Courtyard
- • Extensive contemporary craft collection
Frequently asked questions
Is the Smithsonian American Art Museum free?
Yes — like all Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington D.C., admission to SAAM is entirely free. No tickets or reservations are required for general entry. The museum is open daily 11:30 AM to 7:00 PM. The Renwick Gallery, SAAM's branch museum dedicated to craft and decorative arts, is also free and located near the White House.
What is the most famous work in the SAAM collection?
Among the most celebrated works are Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii (1995) by Nam June Paik — a monumental installation of 51 television monitors arranged in the shape of the US, with channels showing local TV from each state; Among the Sierra Nevada, California (1868) by Albert Bierstadt — a vast, luminous landscape of the American West; and the Kogod Courtyard itself, whose glass-and-steel canopy by Foster + Partners is one of Washington's finest interior spaces.
What is the Kogod Courtyard at SAAM?
The Kogod Courtyard is a stunning glass-canopied public atrium connecting the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, both housed in the same building — the historic Old Patent Office Building. The canopy, designed by Sir Norman Foster and Partners and opened in 2007, covers 33,767 square feet of courtyard space. It is free to visit, open to the public independently of museum hours, and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful indoor public spaces in Washington D.C.
What is the difference between SAAM and the National Portrait Gallery?
Both are housed in the same building (the Old Patent Office Building) and both are free Smithsonian museums, but they have distinct collections. SAAM focuses on American art of all media — painting, sculpture, photography, folk art, and contemporary work — spanning the colonial era to the present. The National Portrait Gallery focuses specifically on portraits of Americans who have shaped the nation's history: presidents, artists, scientists, activists, and athletes. Both can be visited in a single trip.
How long does a visit to the Smithsonian American Art Museum take?
SAAM occupies three floors of the Old Patent Office Building, with over 7,000 artists represented. A focused visit to the highlights — Paik's Electronic Superhighway, the Bierstadt landscapes, the Lunder Conservation Center (where visitors can watch conservators at work through glass), and the contemporary galleries — takes 1.5–2 hours. A thorough visit through the entire collection takes 3–4 hours.
How long should I spend at Smithsonian American Art Museum?
Plan 2 hours for the highlights. Add time for temporary exhibitions, the museum shop, and café.
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