By ARIEL OLSON-SUROWIDJOJO
Observer Staff
Jan. 23, 2008

If you’re looking for something to keep you busy and warm during the cold winter months, take advantage of the off-season by spending a weekend or two exploring the city’s major attractions, without the throngs of tourists. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite museums to help you narrow the options. Most of them are indoors, and nearly all of them are free!

The American Art Museum
8th and F Streets NWOpen: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25)
The American Art Museum houses the nation’s first federal collection of American artwork. In an attempt to represent every region, culture and tradition in the United States, the museum features works by more than 7,000 American artists; including John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Jacob Lawrence, Robert Rauschenberg, Nam June Paik and Martin Puryear. Admission is free.

The National Portrait Gallery
8th and F Streets NW
Open: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25)
Occupying the same historic building as the American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery features portraits of the many presidents, artists, writers and national legends that have helped shape U.S. history and culture. Works range in style from the most classic to the most modern. From Feb. 8 to Oct. 26, 2008, don’t miss the gallery’s newest exhibit, “RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture.” Admission is free.

The Smithsonian National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
Open: Grounds are generally open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25)
*Please visit Web site for seasonal hours and early closing dates.
If you think you can brave the cold, the National Zoo is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Be sure to check out the Giant Panda research center, the endangered Golden lion tamarins of Brazil, and the newly opened Asia Trail exhibit. Children can stroll through the Kids’ Farm, where they will learn about the many farm animals and plants that provide us with food everyday, and the zoo’s amazing Bird House is sure to be a hoot for the whole family. Admission is free.

The Phillips Collection
1600 21st Street NW
Open: Varying hours Tuesday through Sunday
*Please visit the Web site for daily schedule, holiday closures and special events.
The Phillips Collection first opened in the home of Duncan Phillips in 1921, as America’s first museum of modern art. Today, the collection features impressionist works by masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir — including Renoir’s famous painting, “Luncheon of the Boating Party.” From Feb. 9 to May 25, 2008, be sure to view “Degas to Diebenkorn: The Phillips Collects,” an exhibit featuring the museum’s newest acquisitions and promised gifts. Admission prices vary with each exhibition.

National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street and Independence Ave. SW
Open: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 25)
The NMAI was enacted by Congress in 1989 to preserve and promote American Indian cultures, arts, languages and heritages through collaboration with Native individuals and communities in the Western Hemisphere. The museum features ongoing exhibits on indigenous world views (“Our Universe”), native histories (“Our People”), and contemporary native communities and identities (“Our Lives”), among others. If you visit before Aug. 3, 2008, be sure to check out the “Identity by Design” exhibit, which features traditional female dress and adornments. Learn how the dresses are made, and understand their social and personal significances. Admission is free.

Recommended restaurants on the museum trail: If you’re visiting the capital’s top museums and need a bite to eat, remember — you don’t have to settle for cafeteria food. Tucked away near Washington’s most popular sights are several of the city’s best-kept culinary attractions. View this video or follow the links below for more information; including hours, events, menus and more.

Near the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery

Zaytinya: authentic mezze plates $$$
701 9th Street NW (202) 638-0800

Spy City Cafe: all-American diner $$
Ninth and F Streets NW(202) 654-0995

Poste Moderne Brasserie: contemporary fusion cuisine $$$
555 8th Street NW(202) 783-6060

Near the Smithsonian National Zoo

Vace Italian Deli: pizza and import market $
3315 Connecticut Ave. NW(202) 363-1999

Near the Phillips Collection

Teasim: neighborhood tea house $$
2009 R Street NW(202) 667-3827

On the National Mall

NMAI’s Mitsitam Cafe: American Indian-inspired cuisine $$
Fourth Street & Independence Ave. SW inside the National Museum of the American Indian(202) 633-1000

Sculpture Garden’s Pavilion Cafe: casual bistro, espresso and dessert $$
Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue SW(202) 289-3361 ex.5

Price scale
$ – cheap and cheerful
$$ – tasty fun
$$$ – affordable luxury
$$$$ – a culinary investment