The Smithsonian Castle will become the canvas for a new AI-powered art installation on the National Mall next weekend.
“Smithsonian Dreams,” a free public art experience created by artist Refik Anadol, will be presented July 17-18 from 9 to 11 p.m. each night, featuring lights, sound and large-scale visuals projected onto the Castle.
The installation uses a custom artificial intelligence system to reinterpret nearly two centuries of Smithsonian collections and research, drawing from millions of digitized items, including specimens, manuscripts, photographs, artworks and scientific records.
“For me, data is a form of memory,” Anadol said. “The Smithsonian preserves one of humanity’s most extraordinary repositories of knowledge, accumulated across generations of discovery and imagination. ‘Smithsonian Dreams’ asks what might emerge if that vast memory could become dynamic, if the Castle itself could learn from its collections, reflect upon them and dream through them.”
According to the Smithsonian, its museums, libraries, archives and research centers collectively hold more than 157 million objects and specimens, 2.1 million library volumes and approximately 156,000 cubic feet of archival materials that helped inform the project.
“Since its founding, the Smithsonian has sought new ways to share knowledge with the public and inspire future generations,” said Lisa Sasaki, the Smithsonian’s deputy under secretary for special projects.
“‘Smithsonian Dreams’ reflects that spirit of innovation, bringing together art, technology and one of the world’s greatest collections of knowledge in an experience that invites visitors to see the Smithsonian’s vast collections in a new way where history, culture, science and imagination converge.”
The presentation runs from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. both nights.
Admission is free, and visitors seeking a prime viewing spot are encouraged to arrive on the National Mall by 8 p.m.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
