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This post was updated on February 7, 2025.
Underrated Murals
Thanks to their mammoth size, most murals are hard to overlook. Still, it’s easy to miss these works, which are in unexpected places.
Department of the Interior Museum
1849 C St., NW
As part of a New Deal program, Franklin Roosevelt hired hundreds of artists to paint murals in federal buildings and post offices across the country, including more than three dozen in the Interior Department—the largest collection of its kind. Learn more about the historic paintings during guided tours, available with advance reservations on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 pm.
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DC Alley Museum
Between M and N and Ninth and Tenth sts., NW
Blagden Alley in Shaw has become a canvas for some of the city’s prolific muralists, such as Cita Sadeli (Miss Chelove) and Aniekan Udofia. Their music-inspired works can be seen among five murals and mosaics decorating garage doors and alley walls, many featuring local figures and places. Beyond that collection, find more colorful murals adorning garage doors and alley walls.
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Avant Garden at Culture House
700 Delaware Ave., SW
The exterior of this church-turned-gallery (formerly known as Blind Whino) is a psychedelic work of art itself. For more walls as canvas, step into the courtyard, which holds a rotating series of pop-art murals and sculptures by DC artists. The garden is open 24 hours a day, and no tickets are required.
Live Music
These concert series offer a chance to listen to music in unexpected places: a modern home, an art museum, even a library
Acoustic, Folk, and Americana at Sevareid House
The address is shared with ticket holders ahead of the show
Step inside the light-filled Alexandria lodging—designed by modern architect Charles M. Goodman and named after former resident and journalist Eric Sevareid—for intimate shows with independent artists. Sign up for the mailing list to attend the concerts, which have a $30-to-$35 suggested donation. In the spirit of a casual hangout, shows are bring-your-own-beverages.
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Jazz at the Kreeger
2401 Foxhall Rd., NW
When the private-residence-turned-art-museum belonged to collectors and philanthropists David and Carmen Kreeger, the couple hosted frequent concerts in the Philip Johnson–designed home. The museum has carried on that tradition with a monthly jazz series curated by local musician Elijah Jamal Balbed. Shows take place in the exhibit spaces, surrounded by artworks. Tickets are $35.
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Concerts at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G St., NW
You won’t get shushed by librarians if you get loud during these rooftop performances. Playing off the musical archives in DC Public Library’s flagship branch, MLK has spotlighted the city’s punk and go-go traditions, from legendary band Rare Essence to power-pop band Bad Moves. The shows are typically free, open to all ages, and take place in the summer.
“Space Is the Place” by Aniekan Udofia. Photograph by Evy Mages.
Photograph of MLK Library by DC Public Library/Imagine Photography.
Photograph of mural at Department of the Interior by Evy Mages.
“Let Go” by Rose Jaffe. Photograph of mural at DC Alley Museum by Evy Mages.
This article appears in the January 2024 issue of Washingtonian.
