Featured Events in Washington D.C. in April, 2025(December Updated)

Artificial lights have become such a common nighttime fixture that we take them for granted. But what do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? The effects of light pollution extend beyond our reduced view of the stars, but solutions can have an immediate impact. Through more than 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why the dark night matters, rekindle your connection to the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?

The 1970s was a decade of uncertainty in the United States. Americans witnessed soaring inflation, energy crises, and the Watergate scandal, as well as protests about pressing issues such as the Vietnam War, women’s rights, gay liberation, and the environment. The country’s profound upheaval formed the backdrop for a revolution in documentary photography. Activism and a growing awareness and acceptance of diversity opened the field to underrepresented voices. At the same time, artistic experimentation fueled the reimagining of what documentary photographs could look like. Featuring some 100 works by more than 80 artists, The ʼ70s Lens examines how photographers reinvented documentary practice during this radical shift in American life. Mikki Ferrill and Frank Espada used the camera to create complex portraits of their communities. Tseng Kwong Chi and Susan Hiller demonstrated photography’s role in the development of performance and conceptual art. With pictures of suburban sprawl, artists like Lewis Baltz and Joe Deal challenged popular ideas of nature as pristine. And Michael Jang and Joanne Leonard made interior views that examine the social landscape of domestic spaces. The questions these artists explored—about photography’s ethics, truth, and power—continue to be considered today.

Committed to both craft and causes, this visionary artist-activist continues to inspire us today. One of the defining artists of the 20th century, Elizabeth Catlett addressed the injustices she witnessed and experienced in America and Mexico through her bold prints and dynamic sculptures. See more than 150 of her creations in this exhibition, including rarely seen paintings and drawings. Trace the career of this cultural force—from her roots in Washington, DC, Chicago, and New York to the remarkable body of work she made during some 60 years in Mexico. In striving to make art for the people, Catlett put social justice at the very center of her work.