The Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery will open “Handwork: Contemporary Craft” on November 13, pairing a new collection installation with a free open house. Visitors can meet artists and curatorial staff while exploring work made by hand.
The Washington exhibition brings together 53 works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. Several are recent acquisitions connected with Handwork 2026, a nationwide initiative organized by Craft in America.
The opening-day event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Renwick’s second-floor galleries. Admission is free, and the museum encourages registration through its event listing.
Artists scheduled to participate include Roberto Benavidez, Elizabeth Brim, Vicki Essig, Pat Gorelangton, Chief Bill Harris, Aya Oki, Ato Ribeiro and Diego Romero. The event offers a chance to talk with makers, rather than only view finished objects.
The open house will also include craft activities and a scavenger hunt for visitors of different ages. The museum says longtime collection favorites, including Wendell Castle’s “Ghost Clock,” will appear alongside newly acquired work.
One acquisition featured in the exhibition announcement is Jan Yager’s “Tiara of Useful Knowledge,” from her “City Flora: The Philadelphia Series.” Made in 2006, it combines gold, oxidized sterling silver and a quartz pebble.
The installation continues the Renwick’s exploration of craft in American culture, a focus dating to the gallery’s opening in 1972. The museum presents the new works as additions to that collection, not as a competition or juried sale.
The Renwick is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with free admission. Visitors planning specifically to meet the artists should use the November 13 open-house hours and registration information, rather than the longer regular museum hours.