art with tosca
discover art
Art with Tosca was founded in 2021 by Tosca Ruggieri, a French-Italian national living in Washington, D.C.
Growing up amongst the artistic treasures of North-Eastern France and Tuscany, art inspired Tosca from an early age. This led her to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History in Paris as well as a Master’s Degree in Art & Archaeology from EPHE-Sorbonne. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Arts & Cultural Management from King’s College London.
After a career in art galleries across London and teaching art history at French universities, Tosca embarked on creating Art with Tosca to share her passion for art. In D.C., Tosca crafts and leads curated tours of the National Gallery of Art, highlighting the museum’s collection of masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance to Modern masters.
Art with Tosca is on a mission to make art accessible, interesting and engaging by transporting guests through centuries of art, either from the comfort of home through numerous lectures and virtual events, or locally in Washington D.C. through the halls of the National Gallery of Art.
TESTIMONIALS
art with tosca
Read what previous guests are saying about Art With Tosca’s tours and online lectures.
If you have taken a tour with Tosca, we’d love it if you could share your experience and feedback with others below!
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FAQ
have a question ?
If you didn’t find the answer to your question on the website, I invite you to read the FAQ. You will find questions frequently asked by visitors as well as several tips to prepare your stay in Washington D.C.
You can also contact me to ask me directly your question. I am always happy to help you plan your stay in the capital.
Let’s be clear: the NGA is the third most visited museum in the USA! You will not be alone in the museum, no matter when you visit but here are some tips that may be useful :
• Avoid Saturdays and long weekends : There is always more people when it’s a long weekend due to a national holiday
• Make the most of mornings : in the morning, just when the museum opens up at 10am, there are generally fewer people, and the atmosphere is really nice!
During a private tour, your guide will only be available for you, as a couple, with friends or as a family. It is also possible to organize a private group tour: the group will then be composed of your school class, members of your association, or employees of your company… In a private tour, you define the composition of the group.
During a public group tour for individual travelers gathered together, the guide organizes a guided tour following a schedule set in advance and published (for example on its website). Then, each participant comes to join the guide and other visitors at the meeting point. On a “public” tour, you don’t know the other participants.
The rate of a private tour is usually higher than a “public” tour because you choose the date, the timing and you can define exactly with your guide what you want to see or focus on during the visit.
Feel free to contact me for more information.
At Art With Tosca, we are committed to provide an enjoyable and comfortable experience. That’s why, our Small Group Tours are limited to 8 people maximum.
We also want to be mindful of other visitors in the museum and it is difficult with a larger group.
It depends on the type of tour you wish to attend. Our Small Group Tours are priced per person and our Private Tours are priced per tour, inclusive up to 5 people.
If your group is larger than 5 people, get in touch for a quote!
As soon as you can: it is always better to plan your tour as soon as possible, because I may not be available on the day you want. Usually, I advise you to book at least one month in advance. The busiest tourist season in D.C. is during the cherry blossom season, around March as well as the period from Thanksgiving to the New Year. So, the sooner the better!
If you didn’t plan ahead and you would like a tour in the next few days, you can still give it a try: if I am available, I will do my best to ensure you can enjoy a great guided tour.
Are you planning a business meeting or an orientation seminar for your team? I have worked with companies in the past and provided a guided tour for their team building events. It’s always been a hit!
Don’t hesitate to contact me to organize a tailor-made tour according to your requests.
Art With Tosca specializes in tours of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts. I will be happy to point you in the direction of fellow tour guides in D.C. specializing in tours of the monuments and American History.
Most tours are between 2 to 3 hours, although can be longer depending upon what we decide best meets your individual needs. All tour durations are estimates and will vary depending on walking pace of the group, snack & restroom stops, photo ops, etc.
YES! Our tours are definitely kids friendly and I love being able to share my passion for art with younger children. If you let me know in advance you are bringing children that’s even better as I can tailor the approach of the tour and bring some goodies for your little ones.
