The gifts and bequest of Joseph H. Hirshorn , a uranium mine magnate and avid modern art collector, started the Hirshhorn Museum in 1974. Since then, it has been the home of many examples of modern art and contemporary visual expression.

With a collection of over 4,000 paintings and 2,000 sculptures, the Hirsshorn Museum is a must see for fans of contemporary art. Artists represented in the collection include Warhol, de Kooning, Magritte and Pollock. A brief video introduction to the Hirshhorn’s exhibits can be seen in the Orientation Theater and is helpful in planning your tour of the Museum and Sculpture Garden.

The Sculpture Garden is located directly across the street from the Museum and includes works from Picasso, Ernst, and Man Ray. The featured piece of the Sculpture Garden is the beautiful "Burghers of Calais" by Rodin. The sunken Garden has granite walkways and pretty landscaping, making it a fantastic place to take a stroll.

The current feature of the Hirhhorn is ‘Directions: Tony Oursler". This weirdly fascinating exhibit is comprised of cloth dolls that have a video face projected upon them. The video/cloth figures then have monologues on various topics.