Generations D.C.

Generations D.C. offers fresh perspectives on familiar Washington, D.C., landmarks by bringing historical images together with the stories of the laborers, activists, artists, and communities who shaped those places across generations. Presented in connection with the 250th birthday of the United States, the exhibition looks beyond dominant historical narratives to reveal lesser-known experiences connected to sites including the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian Castle, and the Washington Monument.

The exhibition includes examples such as Theodore Roosevelt’s 1901 dinner with Booker T. Washington, the first formal social invitation extended to an African American, and the work of Lorraine Waxman Pearce, the first White House curator. The artworks and artifacts were researched by George Washington University students, including participants in Professor Max van Balgooy’s course on interpreting historic sites and house museums. Additional interpretive texts were created by student employees at the museum’s Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies, representing the work of an emerging generation of museum professionals.

When: Through November 7, 2026

Showtimes: The page lists an exhibition program for Saturday, October 10, at 10 a.m.

Reservations: Bookings are available Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets: Price not available

Venue: GW Museum & The Textile Museum

Organizer: The Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies, with support from the Albert and Shirley Small Family Foundation.