Art Museum of the Americas Museum

OAS museum in Washington, D.C. for Latin American art

Housed in the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., the Art Museum of the Americas exhibits modern and contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean and runs rotating shows.

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Art Museum of the Americas at a Glance#

Address: 201 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, United States

Website: https://www.museum.oas.org/amo/

Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00am-5:00pm, closed Sundays & Mondays

About Art Museum of the Americas#

Art Museum of the Americas is a museum in Washington, D.C., operated by the Organization of American States and focused on modern and contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean. It functions as the OAS cultural institution for visual arts in the capital.

The museum presents rotating temporary exhibitions and curated shows of painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media by artists from across Latin America and the Caribbean. Programming typically includes public talks, educational events, and small-scale gallery installations rather than large permanent galleries.

The museum was established by the Organization of American States to promote cultural exchange and to showcase art from member states. Its mission centers on exhibition, education, and cultural diplomacy.

The museum is located within the Organization of American States complex in Washington, D.C., and is accessible from downtown neighborhoods and federal buildings in the northwest quadrant of the city.

How to Get to Art Museum of the Americas#

The museum is located at 201 18th Street NW, adjacent to the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor. From the Metro, it is a 10-12 minute walk from Foggy Bottom-GWU (Blue/Orange/Silver lines) or a 12-15 minute walk from Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange/Silver). Several Metrobus routes run on 18th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue; parking is limited in the area.

Tips for Visiting Art Museum of the Americas#

  • Look for the museum's rotating exhibitions tied to OAS themes - these often highlight contemporary artists from Latin America and the Caribbean who are underrepresented elsewhere.
  • Enter through the Organization of American States (OAS) lobby to appreciate the building's murals and placards; security screens visitors but the process is routine.
  • If time is tight, prioritize the second-floor gallery spaces where temporary shows and thematic installations are concentrated.

Best Time to Visit Art Museum of the Americas#

Best visited in spring or fall when Washington's tourist crowds thin and the museum programming is busiest.

Spring
March-May · 8-22°C (46-72°F)
Pleasant weather for walking the National Mall after visiting; galleries are active with new shows.
Fall
September-November · 10-22°C (50-72°F)
Fewer summer tourists; many institutions in DC schedule cultural events in autumn.
Winter
December-February · -2-10°C (28-50°F)
Quieter galleries and easier access to guided talks and curator events.

Weather & Climate near Art Museum of the Americas#

Climate

Art Museum of the Americas's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -4°C to 32°C. Abundant rainfall (1042 mm/year), wettest in May, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.

Air Quality: AQI 33 Good
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
32°
Warmest Month
-4°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January - -4° - 6° -2° 79 mm - - 3.5 m/s - -
February - -2° - 9° 0° 69 mm - - 3.6 m/s - -
March - 2° - 14° 5° 91 mm - - 4.0 m/s - -
April - 7° - 20° 13° 78 mm - - 3.8 m/s - -
May - 12° - 25° 19° 103 mm - - 3.2 m/s - -
June - 17° - 29° 23° 87 mm - - 3.0 m/s - -
July - 20° - 32° 26° 101 mm - - 2.8 m/s - -
August - 19° - 31° 25° 95 mm - - 2.6 m/s - -
September - 15° - 27° 21° 94 mm - - 2.8 m/s - -
October - 8° - 21° 15° 82 mm - - 2.9 m/s - -
November - 3° - 15° 7° 83 mm - - 3.3 m/s - -
December - -1° - 9° 1° 80 mm - - 3.3 m/s - -

Nearby Attractions to Art Museum of the Americas#