S. Dillon Ripley Center — Attraction in Washington

The S. Dillion Ripley Centre (free entry) is one of many museum and exhibition venues located along the south side of The Mall in D.C. Opening hours are 10am to 5.30pm daily.

This is a small, circularly shaped kiosk style building with a copper dome, situated between the Smithsonian Castle and the Freer Gallery. Upon entry, you descend several floors where you find exhibitions which change throughout the year.

The underground exhibition area is directly linked to the Freer Gallery, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and National Museum of African Art. As such, you can actually use the entry for any of these four venues and each any of the others including the Ripley Centre exhibition space.

Note: The Smithsonian Ripley Centre webpage has information on current and upcoming exhibitions. This is worth a quick review if you are considering making a stop here during upcoming...

The Smithsonian’s Ripley Center is where the majority of the administration’s offices are. It is also connected (And Accessible) by way of the African American Art Building found in the garden of the Smithsonian Castle.

The Ripley center (Smithsonian Associates) hosts community art classes on a quarterly basis (Typically each class is 3-8 sessions on the same day/time slot). These classes are taught by incredible professionals and typically don’t hold more than 15 students. The pricing and upcoming quarters schedule can be found online or by picking up a Smithsonian Associates Magazine inside the Ripley Center.

Bathrooms are on the bottom/basement floor (wheelchair accessible) either down the hall to the right of where the elevator opens or on the opposite end of the hall after the first room of the African American Art...

The "little secret" entrance is what I call it - the hidden gateway to a TON of cool and interesting things. The building looks, to me like a tiny enclosed gazebo, others describe it as a tiny mushroom shaped structure just on the outside near the 'Castle'.

Whatever or however you describe it - its an entrance way into an underground area of knowledge. I haven't scoped all of it out, as I'm mostly attending a talk, lecture, or presentation offered by the Smithsonian, and these are usually after work hours.

Easy access, with Handicap parking just out front, escalators and elevators for anyone who needs them [or the exercise buff that looks for the challenge, take the stairs!]

Come early and sit outside a bit and enjoy the flowers of the nearby garden, or people watch as others walk the perimeter of the mall -...