Cherry Blossom Family Celebration 
Saturday, March 23, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Streets NW 
Kogod Courtyard
Free | Registration encouraged

Celebrate the season of cherry blossoms with SAAM! Begin the day on the F Street Plaza (weather permitting) with a taiko drumming performance by Nen Daiko. The program continues inside the museum in the Kogod Courtyard for a day of performances and Japanese pop, boogie, and more with Les The DJ.

Children 12 and younger can enjoy cherry-blossom themed crafts and face painting. Treat yourself with tasty offerings for purchase from the Courtyard Café. A spring-themed scavenger hunt through SAAM’s galleries extends the cherry blossom fun. 

Beyond the Studio Workshop: Cherry Blossoms with Nicolas Shi 
Sunday, March 24, 1 p.m.

Kick off cherry blossom season with a workshop presented with Nicolas Shi, the official artist of the National Cherry Blossom Festival! A longtime resident of Washington, DC, Shi’s work is influenced by his upbringing in Honduras, his Chinese heritage, and his formal education in the United States.

In this two-hour workshop, Shi will discuss his experience creating the official artwork for the National Cherry Blossom Festival while participants paint a tote bag inspired by his vibrant design.

Please note space is limited for this program, and registration is required. Participants must register by 7 p.m. ET on March 17.

2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival Video Projection 
March 20–23, 8–9 p.m.

Kick off the 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival with four nights of stunning video projections that will light up the northwest corner of the museum’s facade with cherry blossom-themed artworks. The projections will animate the Festival’s 2024 official artwork by Nicolas Shi as well as custom cherry blossom artwork by local DC artists Robin Bell, Matthew Curry, and Jonathan Monaghan. Each night, Bell will create a new video tableau, building new visuals upon the previous nights' work, and mixing them live.

This event is co-presented by the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Additional support is provided by the Downtown DC BID and Park West Gallery.

Art & Me Preservation Family Workshop: Cherry Blossoms 
Saturday, April 6, 2024, 1:30  p.m.

Celebrate spring and DC’s beloved cherry blossoms with a festive family workshop cohosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This hands-on preservation workshop is designed for children ages 3-8 and their caretakers and will take place at the National Museum of Asian Art.

Attendees are joined by conservators from SAAM and NMAA to learn how they care for collections even more fragile than the cherry blossoms. After learning about conservation methods, attendees can create and preserve their own cherry blossom-inspired art.  

Act fast! Space is limited. The 11 a.m. session is sold out but seats are still available for 1:30 p.m.  
 

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is able to create and share experiences like these thanks to funding from generous supporters like you. Thank you for ensuring that American art is available to all. Donate to support SAAM.