The Smithsonian Craft Show Experience
I’m pretty sure nothing will come close to participating in the Smithsonian Craft Show. The art is absolutely amazing. The venue is positively grand. The customers showed up. And the show hosts, the Smithsonian Women’s Committee are a class act.
This event is certainly one of, if not the most prestigious fine craft shows in the entire country that takes place in Washington D.C. inside the National Building Museum.
This was my first event that required air travel and shipping my work. Incredibly, all the details came together for a wonderful event. I was very fortunate to be staying with family nearby and they were also the perfect tour guides while in D.C.
The Smithsonian Craft Show at the National Building Museum, April 2025.
Jacqueline at her booth at the Smithsonian Craft Show.
The details came together. The event provided a table and pipe and drape rental in the booth fee. I was able to order an extra table, a mirror and storage supplies from a local big box store that I picked up when I arrived.
The majority of my work I packed in two large suitcases and took on the flight. (Yes, perhaps a bit risky, but lots of bubble wrap, a prayer and a non-stop flight later, all arrived fine.)
The rest of my booth I shipped via FedEx ground in two big boxes. After the show I had to ship most of it back of course, and what I didn’t need to keep, my host family was happy to inherit.
I was fortunate to use a set of strip lights that were loaned from one of my kind booth neighbors, which worked perfectly.
Driving through Washington, D.C.
Getting around in D.C.I was able to get by renting a car only for the first few days, then used Ubers to travel back and forth to the show venue. This worked pretty well, except for one day leaving at rush hour and getting a “surge” double charge. I decided to delay an hour after one of the show days and walked a few blocks to the National Portrait Gallery - another gem of a museum.
The Bottom Line.Participating in a 5-day, across-country event in an unknown city was daunting and expensive. However, I’m happy to report that my sales were wonderful and the exposure, plus the prestige associated with the Smithsonian Craft Show is truly priceless.
I also had two custom orders when I arrived back home in Seattle and an invitation to apply to a special gallery exhibition for the end of the year.
I’m incredibly thankful to my awesome cousin and family I stayed with - not sure I could have survived without them.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is truly a spectacular event and I feel so honored to have been selected as a presenting artist.
Happy to be back home in the “other Washington”.