Hirshorn Museum

The Hirshorn Museum is yet another of the many wonderful museums of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. The Hirshorn located on the National Mall on Seventh Street SW & Independence Avenue. The Hirshorn is the museum of international modern and contemporary art consisting of the extensive personal collection that Joseph H. Hirshorn donated to the nation in 1966. He later donated $1 million toward the construction of the building. The museum opened in 1974 with a collection of 4000 drawings and paintings and 2000 scuptures. It now owns more than 11,500 works of art.

The building, designed by Gordon Bunshaft, is a circular concrete structure sitting on four massive pillars, fourteen feet above ground, to open to a plaza area, complete with fountain and roll away cafe'. This picture was taken from within the museum, looking out into the inner circle.