Past Exhibitions | Smithsonian Institution

Eyes on the World: Photographs by Smithsonian Staff

See the 35 winning entries from the 2005 Smithsonian Staff Photo Contest, taken by Smithsonian staff, volunteers, fellows, and interns.

February 23, 2006 – April 20, 2006

Ripley Center

Faces of Inspiration

See the work of 6 Bell Multicultural High School students in the National Portrait Gallery's Teen Ambassadors program who curated Faces of Inspiration, an 8-panel interpretive exhibition showcasing 24 of their photographs and personal essays on community members who they view as heroes.

October 21, 2005 – January 8, 2006

Ripley Center

Retratos: 2,000 Years of Latin American Portraits

Examine an overview of Latin American portraiture, comprising more than 100 portraits from over 15 countries beginning in the Precolumbian era, continuing through the Viceregal and Independence periods, and into the modern era.

October 21, 2005 – January 8, 2006

Ripley Center

Shifting Gears: A National Juried Exhibit for Young Artists with Disabilities, Ages 16-25

View 15 award-winning works of art by young artists (ages 16-25) with disabilities.

September 27, 2005 – November 29, 2005

Ripley Center

Young Visions of Community

View the photographs and writings of Washington, D.C. elementary school students created during the Literacy through Photography project. The photos, essays, poems, and stories paint a vivid portrait of youth and community in the District of Columbia.

June 9, 2005 – August 21, 2005

Ripley Center

International Joyce

Learn about the Irish writer James Joyce (1882-1941), one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. These 22 panels tells the story of the writer said to represent the spirit of modern Ireland.

June 9, 2005 – June 20, 2005

Ripley Center

Miracles Under the Waves: Photographic Art of Akiyoshi Ito

See the vibrant colors and diverse forms of life in coral reefs around the world revealed in 34 photographs by Japanese photographer and artist Akiyoshi Ito.

March 2, 2005 – May 1, 2005

Ripley Center

In the Russian Tradition: A Historic Collection of 20th-Century Russian Paintings

View approximately 50 paintings by 45 Russian artists that explore the diversity of Russian art over the last 100 years. This is the most comprehensive exhibition of Russian paintings in America since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

December 15, 2004 – April 10, 2005

Ripley Center

Driving Force: VSA arts

View 15 award-winning works of art by young artists with disabilities submitted to a contest sponsored by VSA arts.

September 25, 2004 – November 29, 2004

Ripley Center

Winogrand 1964

See 185 photographs of America taken in 1964, a year after the assassination of President Kennedy, that reflect the country at a cultural crossroads from the Civil Rights movement to the Vietnam War.

September 3, 2004 – November 28, 2004

Ripley Center

World Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature

See more than 1,100 miniatures by some 630 contemporary artists that include landscapes, portraits, and still lifes done in watercolor, oil, and acrylic paint; scrimshaw; sculptures; enamel; porcelain; and figurative abstracts.

June 19, 2004 – July 12, 2004

Ripley Center

Smithsonian Staff Photo Show

View photographs taken by Smithsonian employees with a Smithsonian theme/connection.

April 15, 2004 – June 13, 2004

Ripley Center

Chinese Script from Oracle Bones to Computer Bytes

Explore the evolution of Chinese characters from ancient times to the present.

March 11, 2004 – May 31, 2004

Ripley Center

A Brush with History: Paintings from the National Portrait Gallery

View 66 portraits that reflect the range of the National Portrait Gallery's collection, from Joseph Siffred Duplessis' 1785 classic depiction of Benjamin Franklin to Andy Warhol's 1984 pop portrait of singer Michael Jackson.

November 14, 2003 – February 8, 2004

Ripley Center

Dreams and Reality: Korean American Contemporary Art Celebrating 100 Years of Korean Immigration to America

Discover the works of 18 contemporary Korean American artists who represent the blending of two cultures and the creative vitality of the Korean American community today.

August 15, 2003 – September 19, 2003

Ripley Center

In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Trace the visual testament to the enduring power of King's life and work through 115 works by reknown artists.

May 15, 2003 – July 27, 2003

Ripley Center

Portrait of the Art World: A Century of ARTnews Photographs

See 100 original vintage prints of photographs reproduced in the National Portrait Gallery's magazine since it began publication as Hyde's Weekly Art News in 1902.

February 7, 2003 – April 6, 2003

Ripley Center

American Women: A Selection from the National Portrait Gallery

See 65 images of women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the United States.

June 7, 2002 – December 1, 2002

Ripley Center

Expressing Freedom

See 11 award-winning works of art by 10 young artists with disabilities.

September 26, 2002 – October 28, 2002

Ripley Center

Piano 300: Celebrating Three Centuries of People and Pianos

Celebrate the birth of the piano and its three hundred years of influence with this exhibition of historical instruments and memorabilia.

March 9, 2000 – October 21, 2001

Ripley Center

Microbes: Invisible Invaders...Amazing Allies

Trace the story of microbes (germs) -- the smallest forms of life on Earth -- and explore the history of infectious diseases, as well as how researchers and individuals fight infection worldwide in this exhibition.

May 22, 1999 – September 6, 1999

Ripley Center

The Art of Jack Delano

Trace the social themes found in Delano's work over the last 50 years in these 72 photos, including images of the Depression and Puerto Rican life during and after World War II.

September 19, 1998 – October 25, 1998

Ripley Center