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Wednesday 11am - 4pm Thursday 11am - 4pm Friday 11am - 4pm Saturday 11am - 4pm Sunday 11am - 4pm

American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center

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Dedicated to local, international, and political art. Wednesday-Sunday 11:00AM-4:00PM.

Housed in the dynamic and multidisciplinary Katzen Arts Center, the American University Museum builds its programming on the strengths of a great college and great university. We focus on international art because American University has a global commitment. We show political art because the university is committed to human rights, social justice, and political engagement. We support the artists in our community because the university takes an active and responsible role in the formation of our contemporary art and culture. We present exhibitions that mirror American University’s aspiration to be the premier Washington-based, global university. Our programming puts the best art of our region in a national and international context. Our collections enable us to present the art history of Washington, while our Kunsthalle attitude brings the most provocative art of our time to our place.

10/28/2026

📸 Sometimes the most interesting things are hiding in plain sight.

For Norman S. Carr, the streets weren't necessarily a stage for human drama. Instead, he found meaning in the small details, unexpected reflections, and visual relationships that most of us might walk right past.

His distinctive approach to street photography invites us to slow down, look closer, and discover something extraordinary in the ordinary.

What might you notice if you took a second look?

Explore Observer: The Street Photographs of Norman S. Carr, on view at the AU Museum through December 6.
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Untitled (Sam’s)—New York City, New York, not dated. Gelatin silver print, 12.75 x 19.125 in.
U Street (View through the Door)—Washington, DC, 2003. Gelatin silver print, 18.75 x 13.25 in.

10/23/2026

📍 What are your go-to spots in the DMV? Make the AU Museum one of them!

From neighborhood hangouts to bustling streets and everyday gathering places, Norman S. Carr captured scenes across Washington, DC, frequented by locals and visitors alike.

Often photographing through windows and glass, Carr offers a different perspective on these everyday spaces. Reflections, light, and layered imagery place us on the outside looking in, inviting us to see the city through a new lens.

Discover Washington through Carr’s discerning eye in Observer: The Street Photographs of Norman S. Carr, on view through December 6 at American University Museum.

🕚 Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
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Pizza People (Manny & Olga)—Washington, DC, 2005. Ilfochrome print, 16.75 x 19.625 in.
Donut Shop Halo—Washington, DC, 2005. Ilfochrome print, 19.5 x 12.375 in.
Chinese Carry Out—Washington, DC, 2005. Ilfochrome print, 13.25 x 19.5 in.

10/21/2026

🍂✨ Fall into the American University Museum and take a moment to contemplate the beautiful colors and intricate details of Ayesha Kamal’s large-scale mixed-media paintings.

Drawing inspiration from verses of the Holy Qur’an, Asma-ul-Husna (The Beautiful Names of Allah), and centuries of Islamic artistic tradition, Kamal transforms sacred text into immersive visual experiences that extend beyond words.

Through intricate calligraphy, richly layered colors and textures, luminous metallic surfaces, and expressive compositions, her work invites us to slow down, look beyond the literal, and discover moments of beauty, reflection, and contemplation.

Experience Beyond Words: The Sacred Art of Ayesha Kamal, on view through December 6 at the American University Museum.

🍁 Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Beyond Words: The Sacred Art of Ayesha Kamal is on view until December 6.✨🍂
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Ayesha Kamal, AYAT-UL-KURSI and Alhamd Shareef, 2026. Mixed media on canvas. 42 x 42 inches. Surah Rehman XIII (detail), 2021. Mixed media on canvas, 40 x 50 inches. SURAH Rehman (detail), 2026. Mixed media on canvas. 24 x 30 inches.

10/20/2026

The gaze is an important element to artist Ahn Chang-Hong’s work. Sustained, shared eye contact between the viewer and the subject of his work is emphasized and intensified by a lack in the ability to see—further supporting the message he aims to convey. In Faces, a series of sculptural works by the artist, this sight—or lack thereof—becomes prophetic of the ways in which the Korean people have persevered through collective hardships. In Taxidermied Animals, the gaze testifies to the abuse endured by these animals and, in turn, alludes to the suffering of humanity.

Return the gaze at the AU Museum - see both series in the exhibition Ahn Chang-Hong: noon mool (tears). On view through December 6.
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Ahn Chang-Hong, Sorrow 2024 '2, 2024. Mixed media on photo panel, 51.2 x 51.2 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Ahn Chang-Hong, Faces, 2018. Mixed media on cement, 8.66 x 12.2 in. Courtesy of the artist.

10/15/2026

Join us Saturday, October 17, at 2 p.m. for a special gallery talk with Carolyn Kinder Carr, former Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, and wife of the late Norman S. Carr.

After a 40-year career in law, Norman turned the discerning eye he had developed as a collector of twentieth-century photography toward making photographs of his own, discovering a world of visual possibilities in everyday street life.

Combining her distinguished curatorial expertise with a uniquely personal perspective, Carolyn will share insights into Norman's journey from lawyer to photographer, his fascination with the world around him, and the creative vision behind his work.

Don't miss this opportunity to discover the man behind the camera from someone who knew him best.

🎤 Gallery Talk: Observer: The Street Photographs of Norman S. Carr
📅 Saturday, October 17 | 2–3 p.m.
📍 American University Museum

10/13/2026

⏰Waiting for the weekend? Us too! Make this gallery talk part of your plans.

After a forty-year legal career, Norman Carr turned the discerning eye he developed collecting twentieth-century photography toward making images of his own.

Join us in the Alper Gallery on October 17 to explore Carr’s street photography from Washington, DC, and discover how reflections, light, and color transform everyday moments into richly layered studies of place and perception.

Gallery Talk - Observer
⏰ Saturday, October 17, 2–3pm
📍 AU Museum
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Untitled (Waiting)—Washington, DC, not dated. Gelatin silver print, 13.625 x 19.25 in.

10/12/2026

What if closing our eyes allows us to see more clearly?

At first glance, the oversized masks in Ahn Chang-Hong’s Blindness series seem almost playful. Standing five feet tall, these wall-mounted heads borrow the vibrant colors and seductive visual language of advertising and pop art. But beneath their appealing surfaces lies a darker commentary on consumerism, material desire, and the forces that shape how we see the world.

With thick bands covering their eyes, these figures suggest a society blinded by its own desires—one in which the pursuit of wealth, status, and material possessions obscures uncomfortable truths.

“To humans blinded by secular desires, closing or losing physical sight offers access to an immaterial truth,” Ahn explains.

The artist turns the language of commercialism against itself, exposing what he calls the “violence of capital” and the “illusion of desire.” His colorful masks become unsettling mirrors of contemporary society, confronting us with a question: Are we seeing the world as it is, or only what we've been conditioned to want?

See the Blindness series in Ahn Chang-Hong's "noon-mool" (tears), on view through December 6 at American University Museum.

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Ahn Chang-Hong, Mask, 2019. Mixed Media on FRP, 61.2 x 43.3 x 19.7 in. Courtesy of the artist.

10/11/2026

When are you happy with a photo you’ve taken? What makes it successful, or social media-worthy?

For Norman Carr, a successful color photograph had to contain and balance three elements: a strong formal foundation; the color had to enhance the whole; and the subject had to arrest the viewer’s attention.

Come see for yourself how the artist balanced these elements in his works. "Observer: The Street Photographs of Norman S. Carr" -- on view through December 6.

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Untitled (Pots for Dying Leather)—Marrakesh, Morocco, March 2011. Inkjet print, 12.75 x 18.75 in.
Beijing Bikes—(detail) Beijing, China, April 2005. Ilfochrome print, 19.25 x 29.875 in
Untitled (Beach Promenade)—unidentified location, ca. 2011. Inkjet print, 20 x 13.625 in.

10/10/2026

** ICYMI**
🦅 Coming to AU for Family Weekend? Make the AU Museum part of your experience!

Between performances, talks, tours, and catching up with your Eagle, take a break and explore one of DC's cultural highlights right here on campus.

This fall’s exhibitions are getting noticed well beyond AU. Hyperallergic named Ahn Chang-Hong: noon-mool one of “10 Art Shows to See in DC This Fall,” while the Museum’s fall exhibitions have also been featured by The Washington Post and East City Art.

And that attention isn’t unusual. AU Museum exhibitions and artists have been covered by major arts and national media including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Hyperallergic, and The Washington Post.

So while you’re here for Family Weekend, see what the art world has been talking about. 👀

Four exhibitions. Three floors. And an easy break between Family Weekend events.

📍 American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center
🕚 Open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
🎟️ Free and open to all

10/09/2026

What should a museum be? A place to admire art? A space for difficult conversations? A forum for challenging ideas?

For 21 years, founding director Jack Rasmussen has shaped the American University Museum around the belief that museums should do more than exhibit art. They should encourage dialogue, challenge assumptions, and invite visitors to see the world differently.

In a recent article written for Korean Artist Today, Jack reflects on the philosophy that has guided his leadership, drawing on exhibitions throughout the museum's history, including our current two-floor exhibition, Ahn Chang-Hong: noon-mool (tears).

Through Ahn's powerful and often unsettling work, Jack explores how art can confront difficult histories, provoke reflection, and create space for conversations that might otherwise go unspoken.

As Jack prepares for retirement, this article offers a revealing look at his vision behind the AU Museum and how that vision has shaped the exhibitions we've presented for more than two decades.

Read "The Museum as a Public Sphere" in Korean Artist Today and discover why Jack believes museums should be places not just for art, but for ideas.
https://k-artmarket.kr/kada/katEn/contents/KAT0201.do?schM=view&dataId=Z20261007082130906595

Address

4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington D.C., DC
20016

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 4pm
Thursday	11am - 4pm
Friday	11am - 4pm
Saturday	11am - 4pm
Sunday	11am - 4pm

Telephone

+12028851300

Website

http://american.edu/cas/museum/, https://linktr.ee/aumuseum

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