Four ‘don’t miss’ museum shows this fall in Washington, D.C.

Good news for those traveling to the nation’s capital in the near future: The Renwick Gallery across the street from the White House reopened Friday after being closed for two years for renovation.

In keeping with its mission of highlighting American art, the 156-year-old building’s new show “Wonder” draws on installations made by nine contemporary artists.

What’s new? The grand staircase has new carpet, gallery walls feature what’s being called a “lighter paint palette,” original moldings and decorative details have been repaired and a new LED lighting system was installed.

These may not be things readily noticeable but they are designed for a better visitor experience.

“Wonder” remains in place until spring when the museum begins to reinstall its permanent collection. (The second-floor galleries close May 8; the first floor galleries, July 10.)

Info: Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th St. N.W., (202) 633-7970

Other new shows at museums in Washington, D.C.:

Newseum opened an updated exhibit called “Inside Today’s FBI: Fighting Crime in the Age of Terror,” which resonates even more loudly after Friday’s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.

The show adds artifacts including the car abandoned by 9/11 hijackers at Dulles International Airport and the handcuffs used on Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in 2013. It runs indefinitely.

Info: Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.; (202) 292-6100

The National Museum of the American Indian opened an exhibit titled “Kay WalkingStick: An American Artist.” The show features 65 of her monumental landscapes. The twist? She has Cherokee roots but her art evolved more on the East Coast than in the West. It runs through Sept. 18.

Info: National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall; (202) 633-1000

Though this exhibit opened in the summer, it’s also worth a stop: The National Portrait Gallery’s tribute to California farm worker activist Dolores Huerta.

“One Life: Dolores Huerta” tells the story through photographs of the United Farm Workers co-founder and her work in the 1960s and ‘70s. It remains on display through May 15.

Info: National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets, (202) 633-8300

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