Arts Club of Washington

Awesome DC home well retro’d as art gallery. Terrific use of spaces to display several artists is warm surroundings. Check online calendar for opportunity to view shows. Complimentary parking available as stated on web link.

My partner and I just hosted an 80s formal wedding celebration at the Arts Club, and we had the most gnarly time… like totally! We spent several weeks looking for the perfect location for our big day, and the Arts Club met all of our criteria. The house boasts loads of unique character (including original artwork), the staff are professional and hard-​working, they offers chairs, tables, linens, and cutlery/​glassware at no extra cost, there are multiple floors available for guests to roam, their garden/​courtyard is the perfect setting for a ceremony/​dinner, and the venue even offers in-​house catering (a rare, cost-​saving find in D.C.).
The only piece of advice I would offer anyone looking to host an event at the Arts Club is to be as proactive and organized as possible. At times the staff are difficult to connect with, but as long as you are persistent and make clear exactly what you want/​need, you should be fine. Also, I would highly recommend taking advantage of the Hotel Lombardy next door. Their rates are fantastic, and the hotel offers a unique European charm. Of course, the fact that they are located right next door to the Arts Club makes it easy to organize hotel accommodations for event guests.

We had our wedding there, and we’re really glad we did. There are a few caveats though.
Positives:
The venue is great. It’s a historic building and a former home of James Monroe. As an art gallery it is always very tastefully decorated. People described our wedding as elegant and classy and it was without being over the top. The venue had a lot to do with that.
They do a great job with the space. I was a little concerned with the larger hall where we had dinner, and even some of the setup of the garden when we chose the venue. However, when they had it all set up it looked wonderful. The front rooms and upstairs were wonderful to begin with. If you tour and say «this is nice» just know if will be even better once it is set up.
For wedding food, the food is very good and quite reasonably priced. The chef is easy to work with and does a great job. We were a little worried because he’s so laid back, but everything just worked.
Negatives:
If you want no muss, no fuss, you might want to consider elsewhere. While the staff is generally good, we had a few hiccups. Their communication before the wedding is a little weak, and I had to call/​email/​etc. several times on occasion to get an answer to important questions. You really have to stay on top of things.
There were some hiccups the day of as well. We had selected wine and beer we wanted served. When they set up they just used their own. I went an talked to the manager and they hadn’t communicated to the staff what they were serving. 15 minutes before the wedding they told me the wine was getting set up but the beer never arrived. I could have gone without the cat herding on my wedding day. Likewise, we had a unity candle and they didn’t have the cable set up for it until I sent my sister to get on them. Their microphone (which to their credit was no extra charge) also initially didn’t work probably because no one had tested it or turned it on (I don’t know. I was a little busy doing my vows).
Bottom line is I’d recommend it. It’s a great space and a great value. They do a great job with it and we’re glad we went with them. However, make sure you stay on top of things and assign friends or family to make sure things are in order and the way you want them.

This old historic house, once owned by James Monroe, is a cool spot with free, hour-​long Noon-​time concerts every Friday. The Covington Quartet I saw last Friday was wonderful!
You need to know a member to partake in lunch, and there are only about 75 members. If you meet a member, get some good, old-​fashioned blueberry pie.

The Arts Club may be one of the many places in DC that has both a rich history and current activities in its favor, but this place is special. This non-​profit organization resides in the former home of President Monroe, who lived here when he was Secretary of State and again when he was President when the White House was undergoing renovations.
The main purpose of the Arts Club is to support the arts in DC and surrounding areas. In fact, this club is the oldest nonprofit in the US. There are exhibits in the house by local artists as well as free events. It is a popular place for weddings, also.
The courtyard here is magnificent. Check it out in the spring and summer time.