Although Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist, she had her heart set on being an American for the 15 years that she lived in the United States. First moving to Seattle and then settling in New York City, she quickly became influential in the burgeoning avant-garde scene in the city, but eventually moved back to Japan for health reasons. Kusama’s work has been a constant conversation between her experiences in Japan and the U.S., addressing feminism, the effects of nuclear war, and mental health.

Full disclosure: although the plaza and building remain temporarily closed, the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden is currently open. This brutal beauty on Indepndence Avenue boasts a wealth of modern art. The spectacular cylindrical building by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill was completed in 1974 to house self-made Wall Street millionaire Joseph Hirshhorn’s collection of 20th-century painting and sculpture. Today it still operates as that, but it's open to all and new pieces continue to be added.