It is an exceptional opportunity to study art history in Washington, D.C., the home base of the federal government and all its agencies, and of the embassies and consulates of every country in the world. Washington is one of the world's great cultural and educational centers, whose museums, libraries, universities, music and concert halls, and historical archives are available as first-hand resources for study and research in the arts and humanities.

Consortium of Washington Universities

The Consortium of Washington Universities greatly enhances the course offerings and library holdings of American University. Students are encouraged to augment their studies by taking graduate courses at the University of Maryland and George Washington University. 

The joint holdings of the Consortium universities, immediately accessible to all American University students, collectively constitute one of the top libraries in the country.

Museums and Libraries

Local world-class museums and libraries include:

• National Gallery of Art
• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• National Portrait Gallery
  
• Smithsonian Institution
  
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  
• Renwick Gallery
  
• Textile Museum
  
• Freer/Sackler Gallery
  
• Dumbarton Oaks
  
• Corcoran Gallery of Art
  
• Phillips Collection
  
• National Museum of Women in the Arts
  
• Archives of American Art
  
• Library of Congress
  
• National Museum of African Art