The outdoor ice skating rink just steps from DC’s National Gallery of Art will be reopening in late November this year, and expects to stay open through March 5, 2023, weather permitting. The rink at the Sculpture Garden is DC’s most magical, where visitors can skate in view of museums and monuments, and amid artworks by the likes of Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, and Roy Lichtenstein.
Opening day will be November 26. The rink will be open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 to 9 Sunday through Thursday. Skating sessions begin every hour and are 45 minutes, with a 15-minute break to smooth the ice before the next session begins. Tickets include two consecutive skating sessions and cost $12 for adults and $9 for those under age 12 or over age 60. Skate rentals are $6.
Novice skaters of all ages can take lessons from Washington Elite Skating School. They offer single classes at the Sculpture Garden for $30 to $45, or class packages for $150 to $295.
Any ice skating wouldn’t be complete without a hot cocoa—the Pavilion Cafe will again offer toasty drinks such as hot chocolate, apple cider, and mulled wine, along with other food and beverage options.
Keely recently graduated with her master’s in journalism from American University and has reported on local DC, national politics, and business. She has previously written for The Capitol Forum.
