The Corcoran Gallery of Art is Washington?s largest non-federal art museum. Founded in 1869, it is an institution that is ?dedicated to art and used solely for the purpose of encouraging the American genius.? The Corcoran Museum serves as a major center of American art. It provides a venue where the past, present, and future of the visual arts come to life. The Museum houses an extensive collection that consists of American and European masterworks. It also holds ongoing exhibitions that showcase contemporary art. The Museum promotes the education of art through its galleries and classrooms that provide a place for learning.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art also offers activities that utilize the extensive resources of its museum and college.