Things to do the week of April 13-16, 2026
We've gathered up things to do across the nation's capital, including museum exhibits, concerts, only-in-DC events and much more. Don't miss our things to do this weekend and things to do this month as well.
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Monday
America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Botanic Garden showcases the official flowers of every U.S. state and territory. Varieties on display include fragrant magnolias, roses, orchids, bluebonnets, saguaro cactus flowers and many more; all of them symbolize the natural beauty of America.
Free Admission
U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20001
National Museum of Asian Art
Into the Waters with Senju and Bingyi: Two Contemporary Paintings
Japanese artists Hiroshi Senju and Bingyi and their different visualizations of water – each hypnotic and transfixing in their own way – form the basis of this new exhibit at the National Museum of Asian Art. Senju’s abstract approach and Bingy’s traditional methods along with each painter’s influences and ethos are examined in detail.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20004
1776
The story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is transformed into a vibrant musical as the country’s beginnings are brought to blazing life inside the historic Ford's Theatre.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Tuesday
National Museum of African American History and Culture
At the Vanguard
The National Museum of African American History and Culture’s new exhibit features more than 100 objects from the collections of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, Jackson State, Texas Southern, Tuskegee) in a stunning display of how these institutions have shaped American education and culture through innovation, ingenuity, resistance and activism.
Free Admission | Hours & Information
National Museum of African American History & Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Museum of Illusions
Cherry Blossom Takeover at the Museum of Illusions
The Museum of Illusions partnered with local artist Hiba Alyawer for a limited-time cherry blossom-themed takeover. The immersive artistic experience is inspired by DC's most iconic season. Selected illusion rooms throughout the museum feature stunning blossom installations and floral-inspired artistic elements, blending the magic of visual perception with the delicate beauty of spring in DC. Special workshops are also available.
Buy Tickets
Museum of Illusions, 927 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Arena Stage
A Good Day to Me Not to You
Arena Stage welcomes a new work from Drama Desk Award-winning actor Lameece Isaaq and two-time Obie-winning director Lee Sunday Evans. The play concerns a 40-something dental lab tech who loses her job and relocates to a woman’s boarding house run by nuns. She’s forced to confront her own personal demons as well as the house’s deranged inhabitants in this deeply psychological production.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Wednesday
Dear America
Explore how artists have captured and questioned the American experience over the last 250 years. Through more than 100 works on paper spanning photography, prints and drawings, discover powerful depictions of the nation’s landscapes, people and ideals of freedom.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Miró and the United States
The Phillips Collection's new exhibit will explore the artistic conversation between Spanish artist Joan Miró (1893–1983) and American artists from the 1940s to the 1960s. The exhibition will trace Miró’s relationships with American artists, collectors and institutions in an examination of the ways this exchange spurred inspiration and experimentation on both sides of the Atlantic. Expect to see works by Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, Lee Krasner, Norman Lewis, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Adolph Gottlieb and many more.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
ARTECHOUSE
Peak Bloom: Dome Experience
Hi-Lawn, in collaboration with ARTECHOUSE Studio, transforms its rooftop dome into a breathtaking digital cherry blossom spectacle. The immersive visual show features 360 degrees of petals, light and motion projected overhead, surrounding guests with luminous blooms and flowing digital landscapes.
Tickets
Hi-Lawn, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Thursday
Filmfest DC
The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in Washington, DC, Filmfest DC returns each April with a new lineup featuring quite the genre exercise: comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts, documentaries and more.
More Info
Demi Lovato
Prepare for an emotional and electric evening inside Capital One Arena when Demi Lovato’s It’s Not That Deep tour comes to town. The global pop star’s high-energy music is fit to turn the Arena into one big dance floor. Long-time fans can also expect to hear Lovato’s enduring hits and her Earth-shattering vocal prowess.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Capital One Arena, 601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Photo by Cameron Whitman
The Minutes
The Keegan Theatre hosts a production from one of the great purveyors of the art form. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts’ brilliant examination of small-town politics plays out over the course of one city council meeting.
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
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