Be Curious: Art Links to Learning

Be Curious: Art Links to Learning is a community exhibition at the Phillips Collection marking the 20th anniversary of the museum’s Art Links program, which partners with local schools to provide multi-visit arts programming. The exhibition celebrates education as central to the museum’s mission and traces the program’s evolution over two decades. Created over several years in response to works in the permanent collection and special exhibitions, the artworks on view reflect moments of inquiry, experimentation, and personal storytelling by students from across the Washington, DC, region. The Phillips Collection’s founder, Duncan Phillips, envisioned the museum as a place where people could learn to “see beautifully as true artists see,” and this exhibition invites visitors to explore how curiosity, care, and creativity shape the next generation of artists.

When: February 28 through August 2, 2026.

Tickets: Free admission; no ticket required for the exhibition itself (standard museum entry policies apply).

Participating schools and grades: Turner Elementary School, DC (grades K–2); Washington School for Girls, DC (grades 6–8); Jackson Reed High School, DC (Photography Club); Our Lady of Victory, DC (grade 3); The Langley School, VA (grades K, 4, and 8); Van Ness Elementary School, DC (grades K and 2); John Francis Education Campus, DC (grades 7 and 8); Noyes Elementary School, DC (grade 4); Takoma Education Campus, DC (grade 5); Horizons Greater Washington, DC and MD (grade 8); plus a note that Northwestern High School student curators contributed to the exhibition.

Audio tour: Access the Be Curious Audio Tour on the Bloomberg Connects app.

Behind-the-scenes: Read about how the students curated the exhibition on the Phillips Collection’s blog.

Venue: The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC.

Accessibility: The Phillips Collection is committed to accessibility; contact the museum for specific accommodations.

Note: This exhibition is supported by the Estate of Toni A. Ritzenberg, Mr. and Ms. Thomas D. Rutherfoord, Jr, an anonymous donor, the Dosal Family Foundation, the Andrew & Julie Klingenstein Family Fund, Inc, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Chorzempa Family Foundation, Clarence B. Coleman and Joan F. Coleman Charitable Foundation, The Morningstar Foundation, Opalack Foundation, Lisa A. Reiner, Renee Reiner and Michael DeSanto, and Ricki and Joe Rosenberg.