Fall Arts Guide: 9 Essential Things to Do in the DC Area

10 Best Things to Do in DC

Books

Patricia Lockwood

September 24

Lockwood’s 2021 book, No One Is Talking About This, was a phenomenon. Now she’s back with Will There Ever Be Another You, which tells the fraught story of a woman trying to navigate a global pandemic.

Museums

“Corazón y Vida: Lowrider Culture”

Opening September 26

This exhibit is a celebration and examination of the customized cars that have been a vibrant part of Mexican American and Chicano culture since the 1940s. There will be photos and posters by Latino photographers, but the centerpiece is two actual lowriders: a pair of classic Chevy Impalas dubbed “El Rey” and “Gypsy Rose.”

Museums

“Women Artists From Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600–1750”

September 26, 2025–January 11, 2026

You know the girl with the pearl earring, but there were also plenty of women in Flemish art who actually held the brush. Women were a vital force in the 17th- and 18th-century Low Countries, and this exhibit offers work by more than 40 of them.

Music

Tyler Childers

September 27

The Kentucky-born singer-songwriter has found mainstream success by blurring boundaries between country and bluegrass. His new album, Snipe Hunter, was produced by Rick Rubin.

Books

Susan Orlean

October 20

The author of big-deal books like The Orchid Thief tells her own story with a memoir, Joyride. The book, which also delves into her creative process, may inspire readers to find their own joyride in the endless wonders that surround us every day.

Music

Big Thief

October 24

Smoky-voiced singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker’s solo show was a highlight of last fall’s concert season. Now she returns with her excellent band, celebrating the release of their sixth album, Double Infinity.

Museums

“Out of Many: Reframing an American Art Collection”

November 8, 2025–February 15, 2026

Drawing largely from its 100-year-old collection and loosely timed to the country’s 250th birthday, this exhibit tells the story of American art–and America–through the diverse perspectives of artists both celebrated and unknown. There are 75 pieces from the likes of Jacob Lawrence (above), Georgia O’Keeffe, Kara Walker, and Philip Guston.

There are just ten works here, but–as the name suggests–they make an outsize impression. The Hirshhorn traces the development of big installations since the late 1960s with pieces by artists such as Sam Gilliam (above), Dan Flavin, and Paul Chan.

Theater

Water for Elephants

December 9–14

Sara Gruen’s 2006 novel–about a young man during the Great Depression who runs away to join the circus–has already been adapted for a film, but this musical manages to recreate the magic of the big top live onstage, complete with high-wire acts and brilliant puppetry. After scoring seven nominations at the 2024 Tony Awards, it’s arriving in DC for the first time.

This article appears in the September 2025 issue of Washingtonian.