Niagara Falls

The exhibition “Niagara Falls: Mist and Majesty” brings together some twenty works of art that trace how the layered histories and meanings of Niagara Falls have been interpreted from the early 19th century to the present day. Recognized as one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the falls have inspired artists across generations and mediums—from oil paintings and daguerreotypes to screenprints and inkjet prints. The show highlights a range of perspectives, including Frederic Edwin Church’s iconic 1857 panorama *Niagara*, Alec Soth’s contemporary photograph *Niagara Falls, Ontario*, and Kay WalkingStick’s recent painting *The Niagara Cascades* (2024). Also featured are early aquatints, stereoscopic views, and works by Sam Gilliam, George Barker, Tseng Kwong Chi, Platt D. Babbitt, Joseph Pennell, and J. McPherson. The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art and curated by Sarah Cash, associate curator of American and British paintings, and Diane Waggoner, curator of photographs.

When: May 2 through September 20, 2026

Location: West Building, Main Floor, Gallery M72, National Gallery of Art, 6th and Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565

Tickets: Admission is always free and no passes are required

Exhibition Highlights: The approximately twenty works include Frederic Edwin Church’s 1857 oil-on-canvas *Niagara* (Corcoran Collection), Alec Soth’s 2019 inkjet print *Niagara Falls, Ontario*, Kay WalkingStick’s 2024 oil-on-panel *The Niagara Cascades*, Charles Hunt and Rudolf Ackermann’s 1833 hand-colored aquatint *Falls of Niagara*, Sam Gilliam’s 1995 color screenprint *Niagara on the Potomac*, George Barker’s 1860s–1870s albumen silver print *Niagara*, Tseng Kwong Chi’s 1984 gelatin silver print *Niagara Falls, New York*, Platt D. Babbitt’s circa 1855 daguerreotype *Niagara Falls*, Joseph Pennell’s 1910 lithograph *Building a Power House*, and J. McPherson’s circa 1860s stereoscopic glass transparency of Charles Blondin walking a tightrope across the falls

Curators: Sarah Cash, associate curator of American and British paintings, and Diane Waggoner, curator of photographs, both of the National Gallery of Art

Organizer: Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Stories: The exhibition is complemented by online articles, including “The 19th-Century Blockbuster: Frederic Edwin Church’s ‘Niagara’” and “Iconic American Landscapes, Through Artists’ Eyes,” which explore the social media–like sensation of Church’s painting and a road trip through American landscapes from Maine to Alaska

Accessibility: The National Gallery of Art provides accessibility services; visit the museum’s Accessibility page for details. The museum is open today 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. on select nights in the Sculpture Garden through September 5 (note: these hours may not apply to the exhibition itself)

Venue Note: The West Building galleries are part of the National Gallery of Art campus; the museum is always free to all visitors