FREER GALLERY OF ART

12th Street and Jefferson Drive SW
(202)357-2700
fax (202)357-4911

The Freer Gallery of Art is a member of the Smithsonian Family of Museums and Galleries. It contains over 26,000 works of art from Japan, China and the Far East.

The Freer Gallery of Art was made possible by a donation from Charles L. Freer, industrialist and avid collector of Asian art. Opened in 1923, the gallery contains over 26,000 Asian works of art. Among other works, the Gallery has Japanese screens, Chinese paintings, ceramics and works from the Near East.

Ironically, an American designed the main attraction of the Freer Gallery. Freer was a good friend of the expatriated American painter, James Whistler. It is Whistler who designed the famous " Peacock Room ", a lush dining room decorated with canvas, leather and wood. Other works from Whistler can be seen in the Freer, as well as other works from American artists who were influenced by Asian arts.

The Gallery offers free tours of the Gallery daily at 12:15 PM and 2:30 PM.

The newest addition to the Freer Gallery is the "Charles Lang Freer and Egypt" exhibit that will run indefinitely. Works from the New Kingdom (1550 BC) and the Roman Period (395 AD) are on display. Exhibits include ancient bronze figurines, glass bottles and stone models used by sculptors.

The inside tip is to inspect the Peacock room designed by Whistler. It is gorgeous.

Asian art enthusiasts will enjoy the Freer and Sackler Galleries, but others might find Washington's other art museums more interesting. The Corcoran is a good alternative, as is the National Gallery of Art.

Hours: 
Daily 10:00am- 5:30pm

Admission:
Free

Metro:
Smithsonian