First Art Museum Opens in Washington
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PrintJohn Varden, a Washingtonian, begins displaying a collection of paintings and sculpture in the nation's capital under the name of the John Varden's Museum. This is the first step in creating a national gallery of art in Washington.
Chronology of Smithsonian History
Holmes, William H. Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, Catalogue of Collections. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1922, p. 2.
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu
1829
Washington (D.C.)