Discover D.C.’s Public Sculpture at the Renwick Gallery

Kids and grown-ups alike are invited to explore D.C.’s public sculpture—and make some of their own—during Sculpture Day at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum on Saturday, March 13, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. All activities are free of charge.

At noon, join a Walking Sculpture Tour of Lafayette Park led by local conservator Nick Veloz. Wear your walking shoes and discover the stories behind the sculptures in one of America’s most prominent parks! Meet at the front entrance of the museum at noon.

From 1 - 2:30 p.m., the program Learning About Sculptors through Archives & Interviews will delve into the world of sculptors. Dr. Michael Richman, a noted Daniel Chester French scholar, will offer insights on the importance of archival material in learning about a sculptor’s life and work. Then renowned sculptor Constantine Seferlis—whose work can be seen on the National Cathedral and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception—will be interviewed about his experiences as a master carver and educator by his former student and current Corcoran School of Art instructor John Sonnier. This program will be held in the Grand Salon of the Renwick.

From 3 - 4 p.m., Create Your Own Monument! Kids are invited to give their imaginations shape by making a monument from recycled materials, which will be provided.

Sculpture Day is held in conjunction with Preserving Memory: America’s Monumental Legacy, a national touring exhibit developed by Save Outdoor Sculpture!/Heritage Preservation, currently hosted by Eleven Eleven Sculpture Space. The exhibit is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities; support for these programs is also provided by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. You can also view some of Mr. Seferlis’ work in Creating Memory, Preserving Memory, also at the Eleven Eleven Sculpture Space, 1111 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

The Renwick Gallery is at Pennsylvania Ave. at 17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. For directions, visit http://americanart.si.edu/collections/renwick/renwick-index.html.

For more information, contact Save Outdoor Sculpture! at (202) 634-1422 or sos!@heritagepreservation.org.

Photos: Top, detail of Dupont Circle Fountain (1912) by Daniel Chester French. Credit: Lee Anderson. Bottom, Portrait of a Student (1959) by Constantine Seferlis. Credit: courtesy Constantine Seferlis.