We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.

Some neighborhoods have block parties; 14th Street has art openings. Logan Circle benefits from having so many distinguished galleries that, in the spirit of community, many will host their openings at the same time. Rather than competing with one another for viewers, galleries try to arrange their shows so patrons can make the rounds between whatever is new that night, comparing favorites along the way. The nexus of the 14th Street NW scene is the 1515 Arts building, which boasts G Fine Art, Adamson Gallery, Hemphill, and Curator’s Office. Openings here are always packed—come early if you want wine to sip while you peruse—and the party spills out into the hallways. Across the street, you’ll find Irvine Contemporary, Randall Scott Gallery, Gallery Plan B, and Transformer. The neighborhood celebrates local artists, and, in the case of Curator’s Office’s “15 for Philip,” local collectors, as well. There are plenty of museum-grade names, too, like Adamson’s recent Chuck Close show, and the occasional celebrity from outside the art world, like David Byrne or the Sartorialist. Art lovers drink in the creative dialogue of 14th Street NW, down to the last drop of red wine in the plastic cups littered about the gallery tables—the sign of a really good party.