Burial site. Credit: Z. Samashev / A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology, Almaty>> Transforming one of the Hirshhorn’s key public spaces, Belief+Doubt fills the entire low level lobby. Barbara Kruger has wrapped the walls, floor and escalator sides in text printed vinyl, creating a spectacular hall of voices. The piece, which addresses themes of power, desire and consumption, extends onto the floor of the newly relocated bookstore. Opening August 20.
>> Celebrate the art and culture of the Indian subcontinent with a free all-day family event at the Freer|Sackler. Watch classical kathak dancing, listen to traditional Indian flute music, and make a rakhi bracelet. Watch artists create Indian rangoli (rice powder) paintings, and join exhibition tours of Worlds within Worlds: Imperial Paintings from India and Iran. Finish the evening with a screening of the Bollywood classic film Mughal-e-Azam. Indian cuisine is available for purchase. August 11, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
>> Also at the Freer|Sackler, see Nomads and Networks: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan. Opening August 11, this exhibit dispels the notion that nomadic societies were less developed than sedentary ones. More than 150 spectacular objects of gold, horn, precious gems, and organic materials, most excavated within the past 15 years, reveal powerful and highly sophisticated cultures with strategic migratory routes and active networks of communication and exchange.
>> Today the National Geographic Museum opens 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization. The exhibition showcases the often-overlooked inventions brought forth during what Western civilizations considered to be the Dark Ages – innovations in time-keeping, energy-efficiency and even the the game of chess. Interactives allow the young and old to delve into each invention, learning how they were created and how they shaped the modern world.
>> All children play. Native American children play like any others—competing in ball games, dressing up dolls and playing in the snow. But Native children’s toys and games are more than playthings. They are ways of learning about the lives of grown men and women. They are ways of learning the traditions of their families and their people. On August 22 the American Indian Museum opens As We Grow: Traditions, Toys, Games where the toys, games, and clothing displayed comes from all over North, Central, and South America, representing many tribes and many time periods.
>> On August 15, Academy Award and Tony Award-nominee Kathleen Turner will appear in a special program at the Newseum to talk about her role as legendary newspaper columnist Molly Ivins in the play Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins. The play opens August 23 at Arena Stage. 7 p.m. $10 Newseum and Arena Stage members, $20 non-members.
>> In the summer of 1814, British troops made a 50-mile march to capture the American capital, routing pitiful citizen militiamen (some in winter gear, others barefoot), while President James Madison rode out of town to safety. Historian and author Anthony S. Pitch leads a full-day exploration of sites associated with this monumental event on August 26. Highlights of The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 include the Fort Lincoln Cemetery, the Riversdale Mansion, Congressional Cemetery, Bladensburg Road, the Sewall-Belmont House, the Navy Yard, the White House area, and the Octagon House. A catered box lunch is included. 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Member $125, General Admission $171. For tickets and further information call 202-633-3030.
