Get ready: National Gallery Nights are back this fall. The incredibly popular series returns this September with themed evenings featuring music, live performances, artmaking, curator talks and more. It’s your chance to check out the collection after hours with a little something extra.
On the second Thursday of September, October and November, the galleries will be open from 6 to 9pm, each evening offering a different themed experience. There will be beer, wine, cocktails and tasty refreshments like gelato for purchase to enjoy while you browse the collections. But the real treat is the extras on tap each night.
The season kicks off with A Night in Paris on September 12. You can check out the upcoming exhibition “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment” and then make your own masterpiece with an Impressionism-inspired art-making project before taking in a Moulin Rouge-style cabaret performance or a French cinema screening.
October’s theme, on the 10th, is Dia de los Muertos. DJ Pedro Night will be spinning Latin dance hits, and L.A. group Las Cafeteras will be performing in the 4th Street Plaza. Curator-led talks will highlight Latinx artists in the galleries, and you can try your hand at creating folk art inspired by Mexican and Indigenous cultures. Don your most festive attire, whether in the vibrant colors of the celebration or debut your spookiest costume in advance of Halloween.
The final event in the series, November 4, celebrates our fine city with To the District, with Love. D.C.’s own DJ Little Bacon Bear will soundtrack the evening with sounds that span the city’s rich musical history. Local artists will lead experimental art-making sessions, and curator talks will spotlight artwork with local connections. Brush up on your D.C. culture to participate in a few rounds of D.C. art and music trivia.
Here’s the important part: tickets are free, but in-demand. To give everyone an equal chance at getting tickets to this overwhelmingly popular event, a registration lottery will take place here a week before each event, opening Monday at 10am and closing Thursday at noon. You can sign up for email reminders to be notified when the lottery opens. You’ll be notified the Friday before the event whether your entry was selected.
If you’re not one of the lucky ones, some first-come, first-serve tickets will be available at the door starting at 5:30pm the night of each event. If you still miss out, stick around for live music performances on the 4th Street Plaza during the September and October events.