This eye catching sculpture stands on West Campus Drive in front of Shepherd University's Shaw…read moreHall. The piece is by Harold "Skip" Van Houten, a Danbury, Connecticut, native who taught for 24 years at the University of Southern Mississippi and founded that school's sculpture program. It is one of three on the University campus. Flat Rocks Roll is a metal framework that holds dry-stacked stones in the form of a wheel. It is definitely unlike anything I have ever seen before, an innovative and creative installation. The iron and rock evoke a feeling of movement and openness. I enjoyed it. The artwork was created in 1988 and installed in 2015. It is a gift of John and Patricia Bain Bachner to the University. There are two others by this artist on campus. [Review 15613 overall - 65 in West Virginia - 1117 of 2021.]

How have I not reviewed my favorite place in Harper's Ferry WV!? We first visited in 2023 and so…read moretoday when we were pleasantly surprised to find them open on Monday we had to enjoy the museum again. Just so you're aware the museum is up for sale and it's future is uncertain. Because of that the hours can vary from what you see posted. Due to the uncertainty of its future it is more important than ever to visit and support this historic marvel. Opened back in 1961 the wax figures are extremely life like and tell the entire story of John Brown's life and then the culmination at John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry that resulted finally in his death by hanging after the botched raid. I feel grateful to have visited a couple times and I really hope once it's sold that the new owners continue to operate it as a wax museum. This type of attraction has become increasingly rare and should be celebrated.

My fiancé and I visited Harpers Ferry for my birthday and we weren't planning on going here but we…read morejust kinda went in for the heck of it. When we came in we were greeted by the person working at the front desk, they were so nice! We had a good time chatting with them before and after walking through. We paid i think $5 each for the both of us. You could either pay the cash or choose a little something to buy. We both already knew the history of John Brown but it was still so much fun and felt so nostalgic to see the wax figures and listening to the audio narrations with a push of a button. Walking through the building was really neat, it felt like it was going to be never ending. There were signs saying the building is up for sale.. i'm worried for the fate of the museum. I'm glad we were able to explore it!

Holy concrete, glass and art! Glenstone is a canvas for adults' imagination. This retreat is if a…read moreminimalist billionaire and Mother Nature had a serene art child. Every turn of concrete and glass leads to a magical surprise. My favorite was the Alex Da Corte exhibits which were full of color and textures.

Glenstone is one of the country's most well-respected and influential modern art galleries. The…read moreRales' have amassed a private post-War art collection worth more than $2 billion, and they have built a private museum to showcase their collection, spending more than $200 million to build the structures over the years. The property encompasses 360 acres and includes not only the two buildings housing the art, there's also an arrival center, a cafe/cafeteria, a patio cafe/coffee shop, and a beautiful woodland walking path, along which one can experience many outdoor sculptures and pieces of art. And all of this is open to the public for free. You are advised to schedule your visit in advance via the website, but walk-ups are accommodated during the winter months. If you arrive via the Ride-On bus (the Rales' worked with Montgomery County to ensure that a bus would be routed right to the front door of the arrival center), you are guaranteed entry. Students 12 and older (including college and graduate students), educators, active-duty military members, veterans, and museum professionals enjoy guaranteed entry for themselves plus one guest, 12 or older. You might read articles about Glenstone that disparage what the Rales' have created, but the reality is that they are doing good in the world: they are making world-class art available to the public for free. I've visited Glenstone about a half dozen times over the years. There are some permanent exhibits but the majority of the galleries rotate art from their massive collection. The cafe has great food. The grounds are quiet and beautiful. The staff are all unbelievably knowledgeable and helpful. A visit to Glenstone is a gift to yourself.

While exploring a small town right before Baltimore we really enjoyed ourselves in the public art…read moreand we walked around and visited many different art designs and murals and different things the city has to offer. I really enjoyed the set of wings they have that I titled the love wings the red and white in or in a good part of the area of town

"I love these murals, but when do we enter the museum?" Me. "These are the museum," my friend. And…read morethis is how I've come to enjoy the DC Alley Museum as the best outdoor-only free museum experience that I've ever had! For the past 10 years, Shaw's Blagden Alley has partnered with the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities to transform its building walls into canvases for local artists to showcase their work. The result is an alleyway filled with a cavalcade of murals big and small, that blend in well with the local businesses within said alleyway. While walking through this vast alleyway I saw so many incredible works of art that I lost track, and the photos that I took barely do justice It's an absolute street art lover's dream! The best part is that you can either walk through it in a quick dose, or you can do so while grabbing coffee at La Colombe, a cocktail at Calico or Death & Co, or even a workout at DC Strength and Nutrition. Checking out the website is a must to learn more about the core mural artists and to find out about events like their Alley-Oop Music and Arts Festival.

Murals galore! They are all different and unique and range in size. How fun to just explore various…read morestreets and find unique art at every turn. Sometimes you can't even tell if it's part of the outdoor museum or part of the storefront of a creative restaurant. Definitely worth checking out. There is a coffee shop, bar, restaurants, and other business nestled within this space. We need more art, less arguing!

Nowadays, walking the corridors of any mall can be a rather mindless act with Sears, JC Penney,…read moreFoot Locker, Victoria's Secret (and their clones) offering the same innocuous litany of storefronts. However, when I walked through Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg this week and saw a storefront sign that read "Splendid Chinese Ethnic Groups," I admittedly did a double take. Those four words were as incongruous a name as I had ever seen on any storefront anywhere. So, naturally, I stepped inside to investigate. That's when I quickly found out that, in fact, "Splendid Chinese Ethnic Groups" isn't a store at all but, rather, an exhibition space. Stupid me. I should have known better. The mall, as I knew from the moment I walked in, is currently all decked out to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. That's because, for years now, Lakeforest Mall has assumed a pretty prominent role in celebrating the Chinese New Year locally. In tandem with the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, which is based in Gaithersburg, it has celebrated the Lunar New Year with an assortment of performances, exhibitions, and cultural demonstrations throughout its corridors (using its long walkways and, yes, vacant spaces as the local Chinese community might have once utilized the streets in and around Chinatown before shifting demographics moved the epicenter of the Chinese community to Montgomery County). The theme for this year's celebration, as I learned, happens to be "The 56 Ethnic Groups" of China. So, what I stumbled upon as I happened to walk the mall with a friend as I did was, in fact, this year's "special exhibition." And, it's an interesting one at that (considering the exhibition's small size and rather meager appearance). Along each of its walls, placards and photographs, filled with historical information and factoids, highlight the various Chinese ethnic groups (many of whom are seemingly obscure minorities) and give them a bit of much deserved attention and public spotlight. As I tended to the left and right walls, I read about the Derung, Oroqen, Tu, Lahu, Hui, and Han ethnic groups (among many others). Despite being Chinese myself, it was an education to say the least. I know very little about Chinese ethnic groups...well, except for the Han (the largest ethnic group, the one that most everyone thinks of when they think of Chinese people, and the one that I happen to belong to myself). Referring to the placard on the wall and to what I could recall, I told my friend who was with me, "Yes, that's the ethnic group that I belong to. It's actually the largest ethnic group in the world. Han Chinese comprise about 92% of China's population. In total, that's 1.3 billion people and roughly 20% of the global population." My friend who is from the ultra-tiny country of Luxembourg was utterly flabbergasted by these numbers. Seizing the moment, I continued, "Yeah, we love to have sex all the time. That's why the population is so huge." My friend soaked it all in. "In fact," I went on, "Thousands of years ago in ancient China, we invented sexual intercourse." My friend just shook his head in awe; and, I think for about three brief, spellbinding minutes, he actually believed me.

This little art gallery in Strasburg Virginia isn't so little at all. I was amazed at the variety…read moreand amount of items in every corner of the building, upstairs and down. There is surely something here to catch everyone's fancy and pocketbook. And the best part is that Marcy the owner will enthusiastically tell you about any piece...and won't make you feel guilty if you don't purchase something. Stop by as you drive down Route 11 in the Shenandoah Valley.

From the owner: This 1850 Brick Federal history rich building houses 2 floors of fine art, pottery, music, books,…read morefabric art, jewelry, and furniture by over 38 artists from throughout the Shenandoah Valley. We are proud to represent Linda L. Anderson, Armando Cavada, Taylor Kaldes, Ren, Wolfgang Nuedorfer, and Laura Sherrill. . The Pot Town Pottery Room keeps Strasburg's pottery tradition alive with the work of 8 potters. Open 7 days a weeks so that your schedule is never a problem. We even offer private appointments for professional interior decorators, architects and others who are tasked with purchasing art for others. Music: 3rd Friday of the month features Music and More from 7 until 10 PM when the musical talent is always different. Live Jazz, Rock, Piano, inside or out depending on the weather. Very laid back and always free Book signings and lectures are held from 2 til 4PM on the last Sunday. We are always family friendly and even have a water bowl outside for our four footed friends.

This is a nice little historic site from Richard Bland Lee. There is a small gift shop/visitor's…read morecenter, a couple of outer buildings, then the main house. Our tour guide was great at explaining the history of the house and all the people who lived here. She explained the uses of each room and what was authentic. There was a small, old-fashioned classroom (since they educated local children) and an upper floor with a bunch of spinning equipment they show off more on field trips. Our tour group had about 6 people, so it was quiet and easy to ask questions if we had them. It was a nice little site and window into life in the 19th century.

If you are visiting the Air and Space Museum by Dulles Airport and find yourself with a little time…read moreto kill then this is a nice park to visit. It is a historical site that was the plantation home of Richard Bland Lee, Northern Virginia's first Representative to Congress, and his wife Elizabeth Collins Lee. It was built in 1794. It is a huge complex, covering 65 acres. It is an adequate parking lot and is well maintained. The site has a bookstore/visitor's center/gift shop. There are some picnic tables near this building where you can sit, eat, and or relax, some of which are shaded. You will also find some building structures at the site that that include the main house, a smokehouse, which you will see fake meat hanging from the overhead, and a replica slave quarter. If you are driving here, there are two parking lots for you to park. You will find a ton of green space, some trails, and additional picnic tables by the main house. I like that this site does not shy away from its slavery past. It faces it head on and pays tribute to those that were enslaved. I like this site. It provides a bit of a history lesson through informational placards placed along the grounds. Gives hikers an opportunity to explore and work out, and is also a place of peace and relaxation. The site has a decent event schedule that includes: Dairy Days-Ice Cream Making & Butter, Peaches and Cream, A Visit With Santa, Colorful Pumpkins, Making a Scarecrow, classic car shows, and various scout merit badge opportunities. In addition to all of that, they offer tours. There is always something going on here. It was pretty chill and laid back during my visit. There were not a lot of people there. This is a neat place to check out. You could spend about 2 hours here exploring.

The Vienna Arts Center hosts exhibits of mostly local artists and also serves as a community…read morecultural center. There's art classes for children and adults as a "Sundays at the Art Center" program. That particular event is fun. And free. Every Sunday, you can go to the center and have free drinks (coffee or a soft drink) and cookies and see whatever exhibit is there that particular week, as well as listen to guest artists talk about their works. There is an exhibit going on here now that I loved! It is called "International Cocktail Collection" and is a series of pastel paintings that incorporate drink glasses (mostly of the martini kind) used in unusual ways.

I have signed on to teach a number of workshops at the Vienna Arts Center, and am hosting three…read moreVisiting Artists who will be teaching master classes. This space is one of the area's best kept secrets. Spacious, professionally run and wonderfully creative atmosphere. Bonnie Fitzgerald, Maverick Mosaics

A hidden gem in DC - part thrift store part community art incubator. Grateful that third spaces…read morelike this exist! They host a ton of regular, weekly events so check those out, or stop by to shop secondhand and buy crafts from local artisans: https://bloombars.com/contact/events/

Awesome and accepting arts space in the middle of DC that holds cool events...go there a random…read moreevening if you want to take in some local culture in a beautiful space. If you're a performer you should know....the sound there is one of a kind, the mixing spot on. One of the most professional operations I've seen in terms of sound quality. No drinks or food so get your fill before you drop by.