In the Library: Reimagining America by Design

This exhibition, presented in the National Gallery of Art’s East Building Library Atrium, brings the Great Depression–era Index of American Design back into view through the work of today’s college students. In spring 2026, students from George Washington University’s Corcoran School for the Arts & Design devoted a full semester to studying the Index, exploring the museum’s collections, archives, and library resources, and ultimately designing their own exhibitions. The result is a two-part fall presentation that combines historical watercolors with contemporary student perspectives on American craftsmanship and everyday objects.

The exhibition is organized into two consecutive installations. The first, “Research & Process,” looks behind the scenes of the student course and shares assignments and discoveries made while working with the Index. The second, “Work & Play,” shifts focus to objects from the Index that were made for children, pairing student works with National Gallery materials related to toys, games, dolls, and figurines. Together, the installations offer both a window into historical American folk and decorative arts and a fresh reinterpretation of that heritage by a new generation.

When: August 31 through December 31, 2026. “Research & Process” runs August 31 through October 30, and “Work & Play” runs November 2 through December 31.

Venue: National Gallery of Art, East Building, Ground Level, Library Atrium, 6th and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565.

Hours: Open weekdays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except federal holidays.

Admission: Free, consistent with the museum’s general admission policy.

Exhibition content: The first phase, “Research & Process,” presents student assignments, research materials, and discoveries related to the Index of American Design. The second phase, “Work & Play,” combines student artwork with National Gallery collection objects connected to children’s toys, games, dolls, and figurines, highlighting Index objects made for young people.

Curators: Curated by Jet Inglis, Gabi Maldonado, Gigi Pilla, Abby Turner, Sophia Wegmann-Gatarz, and Polyxeni Ziazia in collaboration with Kara Braciale, professorial lecturer at the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at George Washington University, and Matthew Westerby, digital research officer for the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art.

Organization: Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Background: The Index of American Design was a Federal Art Project created during the Great Depression. It consists of 18,257 watercolor works by approximately 1,000 artists, depicting American folk and decorative arts objects from the colonial period through 1900. The project was intended to identify and preserve a distinctly American ancestral aesthetic.

Related online stories: The museum offers companion digital articles and activities, including a drawing exercise inspired by the Index, an exploration of how the Index was originally created, and a selection of seven notable highlights from the collection.