Events &amp; Exhibits

Faces of Rulership in the Maya Region

Register now for the 2021 Pre-Columbian Studies virtual symposium, in which scholars aim to better understand concepts of rulership and governance in Ancient Maya culture.

On Being Conquered in Byzantium

Register now for the 2021 Byzantine Studies virtual symposium, which seeks to better understand both how Byzantines themselves understood being conquered and, as importantly, what being conquered in Byzantium can mean for us now.

Ancient Art at Dumbarton Oaks

In this online exhibit, explore a selection of ancient Mediterranean art in the collection, which offer an opportunity to consider the continuities and changes in artistic production from the classical to the medieval period.

Margaret Mee: Portraits of Plants

Centered on the paintings of botanical artist Margaret Mee, this exhibit explores the traditions of women botanical artists and illustrators primarily using materials from the Rare Book Collection.

Dumbarton Oaks Response to COVID-19

As a public health precaution, the Museum and Garden are closed temporarily. All public events will be virtual.

We are closely monitoring developments regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and will update our website and social media accounts to reflect any changes to our operations and programming. Please check back for the latest information about our reopening timeline.

Upcoming Events

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Mar 04, 2021

Where Was Jim Crow? Living in Frank Lloyd Wright’s America

Dianne Harris illuminates architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s role in the history of the divided and segregated American city. Mabel Wilson, Professor of Architecture and Director of the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University will join Dr. Harris in a discussion following the lecture.

Mar 19, 2021

Humanistic Uses of Herbaria

This joint colloquium, hosted by the Humanities Institute, New York Botanical Garden, and Dumbarton Oaks in partnership with the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, focuses on the history and contemporary relevance of herbarium collections.

Mar 25, 2021 - Mar 27, 2021

Faces of Rulership in the Maya Region

Through this three-day symposium, scholars aim to better understand concepts of rulership and governance in Ancient Maya culture.

Online Exhibits

Explore curated selections from across our collections in a series of online exhibits. Select recent exhibits below, or view them all.

Margaret Mee: Portraits of Plants

Centered on the paintings of botanical artist Margaret Mee, this exhibit explores the traditions of women botanical artists and illustrators primarily using materials from the Rare Book Collection.

Ancient Art at Dumbarton Oaks

Art from the ancient Mediterranean represents a small but significant part of Dumbarton Oaks’ collections. When viewed alongside Byzantine art, these works offer an opportunity to consider the continuities and changes in artistic production from the classical to the medieval period.

Written in Knots: Undeciphered Accounts of Andean Life

Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, the people of South America had a system of recorded information that was portable, precise, and so complex that it remains undeciphered today.

Special Exhibitions

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Margaret Mee: Portraits of Plants

Ancient Art at Dumbarton Oaks

February 10, 2020–July 2021

Music at Dumbarton Oaks

Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss designed Dumbarton Oaks to be beautiful without and within, filling the gardens with flowers, the library with rare volumes, and the house itself with fine art and music. Music at Dumbarton Oaks, founded in 1946 as the Friends of Music, continues this tradition with classical concerts from established and rising musicians.

The 2020–2021 Music at Dumbarton Oaks concert series has been postponed to 2021–2022. Please read this message for more information.

Learn More Early-Career Musician Residency