There are lots of ways to explore and celebrate American diversity on a visit to Washington, DC. One can dedicate a day – or several – to Americans of every background who have influenced the history of this country via the museums and monuments all over the city. You can certainly eat your way through the diversity of America quite easily here with the rather extensive restaurant scene. On this trip, I decided to take a third approach, spending parts of two days marveling at the diversity of art on display on – and just off of – the National Mall.

In total, my time was spent at three museums. Two of those are part of the magnificent Smithsonian Institution, that epic series of public knowledge centers founded by the estate of James Smithson in 1846. (Of course, the Smithsonian contains more than just these two, with remarkable art and artifacts in a host of museums along the Mall, but the two I picked are specifically dedicated to ethnic art.) And one sits just off the Mall, run by a different organization. With more time – there is never enough time – this piece would be written from at least a half dozen more museums and perspectives.

From its inception, the Smithsonian has depended on the generosity of not only the US Government, but of “normal” individuals, whose financial contributions have made it possible for so much to be displayed, and be free to see. But a couple of museums wouldn’t be possible at all if not for a specific donor. The National Museum of Asian Art is one such institution.

Charles Lang Freer was the head of one of the largest railroad car production companies in the United States. But more importantly, he was a fanatical collector of art, specifically from Asia (both East Asia and the Near East). In 1906, he became the first American to donate his entire collection to the United States, funding the building of the Freer Gallery of Art (the main component of the National Museum of Asian Art) to house it.

This initial bequest contained about 8,000 pieces, which still makes up a huge percentage of the collection of the museum. (The best estimate I can find is about 25,000 artifacts in total today.) While the largest portions of the permanent exhibits are from China and Japan, a full exploration of the three floors of rooms took me as well to India, Iran, Yemen, Korea, and even on a little jaunt to Egypt.

Highlights are plentiful, ranging from stunning porcelain to intricately carved Buddhas and Hindu deities. These sit along golden jewelry from Persia, jade tools from China, and large wooden statues from Osaka.

The single standout isn’t a piece at all, but rather an entire room. The Peacock Room was designed by James McNeill Whistler and contains several bird-adorned ornamental screens, beautiful wood, and ceramic.

From the National Museum of Asian Art, cross the Moongate Garden to see another institution of diversity in art, the National Museum of African Art. Founded in 1964, this small-looking (most of the museum is beneath ground) building holds a lovely collection of both ancient and contemporary African artworks and artifacts, although as of this writing in Summer 2025 a few rooms are closed for refreshing and refurbishing.

The most famous exhibit is that holding the Benin Bronzes. In 1897, Britain invaded the Kingdom of Benin in what is now Nigeria (not to be confused with the modern country of Benin, which claims that heritage but sits on the other side of Nigeria from where the Kingdom was at the end of the 19th century) and as the British were wont to do, left the country with some of its most treasured cultural heritage art pieces. These bronze sculptures and plaques (not all are bronze but are still collectively known as the “bronzes”) were created at the height of the Kingdom of Benin, between 1550 and 1750. Many wound up in private hands, and a few dozen ended up here.

In 2022, the Smithsonian made the wonderful decision to repatriate its portion of the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, which graciously agreed to allow several to remain on permanent loan back at the National Museum of African Art, along with some intricately carved ivory tusks. (See? Good things can happen when you return stolen artifacts. Ahem, British Museum.)

Other exhibits hold stunning masks, jewelry, and incredible beadwork. My favorites are the masks with multiple faces, things I’ve never seen before.

Or this modern take on Ethiopian carvings.

Contemporary art is also present… and it is poignant, recalling the often violent modern history of Africa. This piece is made from shotgun shells.

The Art Museum of the Americas is not part of the Smithsonian. Sitting just across Constitution Avenue from the National Mall, this small museum is run by the Organization of American States, and houses a constantly rotating collection of mainly contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art. Established by the OAS in 1976, it is easily missed unless one knows it exists. Judging by the mainly empty rooms over two levels, few people are aware of it.

This small outlet can be easily seen in under an hour, with works ranging from celebrations of Cuban culture to abstract Venezuelan scenes lamenting prison and division. (Of course, signage leads me to believe that the items on display are always changing, so you’ll likely see different works when you visit.)

It occurs to me while at the museum that this is a community sorely under-represented in the Smithsonian, and I hope that plans are in the works for a national museum to Latin-American art and history by that institution.

The fabric of American diversity is ever-changing. But it is always worth celebrating. And that has never been more true than now.

In 2025, many Americans seem to believe that society and culture around the world – and especially here – are things created entirely by white Europeans and their descendants. The diversity that has made this country truly great is seen by those as a weakness, and the contributions of minority Americans to the United States are belittled, in addition to the civilizations outside of Europe being looked down upon despite their often-more-advanced art, science, and culture.

A day or two spent celebrating America’s diversity here in Washington, DC will help to alleviate such attitudes, and I only wish the closed-minded among us would take that time to do so. It is impossible – actually impossible – to visit institutions like these and not come away with the belief that those who might be different than we are made immense and impressive contributions to the world and its beauty.

Diversity is a strength. It is beautiful. It is worth celebrating. I am grateful for these museums, for the work they promote, and for those who have dedicated themselves to ensuring their continued survival. I hope you add them to your next visit to Washington and the National Mall.

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