Ice Skating at DC’s National Gallery of Art

The unseasonably warm 70+ degree weather in Washington, DC this past weekend delayed the annual opening of the ice skating rink at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.

The new opening date is rescheduled for the weekend of November 21st,  December 10, 2009, weather permitting.

The ice rink is surrounded by the National Gallery’s famous 6-acre sculpture garden that first opened in 1999. The garden hosts about 20 contemporary sculptures from sculptors such as Joan Miro, Claes Oldenburg, and Tony Smith.

Every winter the ice rink covers the circular pool and fountain in the center of the garden and is open daily for ice skating.

The rink draws a combination of excellent skaters, beginners and young children being taught to skate by their parents for the first time.  Even if you don’t ice skate, it’s fun to sip a cup of hot chocolate and watch the little ones balancing themselves between their parents legs the first time on ice skates.

For a mug of hot cocoa or a glass of wine after your skate, visit the Pavilion Café overlooking the Sculpture Garden.  The cafe also severs sandwiches, pizza, salads and more.

Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
700 Constitution Avenue, NW at 7th Street NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-289-3360

Dates and Times – November 21 through mid-March, 2010.

• Mondays – Thursdays 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Fridays and Saturdays -10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
• Sundays – 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The rink is closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day and closes early on Thanksgiving at 5:00 p.m.

Admission - Adults – $7.00, Seniors, students with ID and kids under 13 – $6.00. Skating sessions begin on the hour and are for two hours.  Skate rentals are available for $3.00 with ID and lockers can be rented for 50¢ with a $5.00 deposit.

The National Gallery of Art museum is open to the public daily, Monday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 – 6:00 on Sundays.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter, Green & Yellow  lines, then a 2-block walk, or use the DC Circulator bus.

Parking – Limited metered street parking and area paid garage parking is available.

Images – from personal collection   ©2009, Jon Rochetti