National Portrait Gallery

This is a pretty awesome collection of not just portraits, but other works of art (painting, sculpture, photographs, etc) as well. I enjoyed the Presidential Portrait collection, which is exactly as it sounds… portraits of all the US presidents. It also has a pretty good modern art and media exhibit if you enjoy that. In general, the museum is nicely divided into both themes and time periods. There’s also a really nice indoor courtyard (the Kogod courtyard) to relax and sit for awhile. Best of all, this place is free!

I had the opportunity to visit the updated Portrait Gallery last weekend. I had been several times to the Gallery in it’s former location. I missed seeing the portraits of the First Ladies and other famous portraits. Some of the exhibits made little sense in a portrait gallery, such a photos of people around a diner table having coffee, or landscapes. The courtyard was nice.

This museum was bigger than I expected. I was surprised by the variety offered and at the fact that there was even some Indian art. There is a lovely courtyard, but the gift shop is small. The building itself is beautiful. I would give more stars but the ladies at the front desk couldn’t take a minute to explain the layout. They were too busy having a conversation amongst themselves and kind of shrugged and threw a map at me when I tried to engage in conversation about the highlights of the miseim.
Luckily a young man working elsewhere in the museum took the time to walk me to his favorite gallery, which was extremely impressive. I probably would have skipped the gallery if he hadnt taken the time to help!

This is one of my favorite galleries in DC. It’s very popular and very free, so it can be a little bit of a tourist trap, but I like to visit often because the rotating exhibits are constantly changing and I’m always surprise at how breathtaking some of the portraits are here. The Kogod Courtyard is one of my favorite places to sit and read.

One of my favorite museums in the city. It is definitely worth visiting. Only reason this isn’t a five star for me is the incredibly annoying staff. I have never been so annoyed while visiting a museum.
First, a gentleman told me that if I was to keep my backpack with me, I ought to carry it like a briefcase or carry it over my chest. This is asked so that visitors don’t knock anything down. Mind you there’s nothing to knock down and that carrying a backpack in an unnatural position is much more dangerous but anyway, no problem, I walked the rest of the museum this way (there’s lockers if you don’t wish to do so).
A couple of minutes later, an incredibly annoying woman, who was harassing pretty much every visitor she encountered, told me that I was standing too close to the paintings and that I might activate the «secret alarms». First of all, there’s no line on the ground or any other indicator that shows you’re standing too close, so I don’t see the justification for the rude scolding. Second, I wasn’t standing close to the paintings and I was keeping the same distance as other visitors. Very awkward. My guess is this person needs to feel she’s being useful or something of the sort.
I truly hope that something is done about this because I’ve never had issues while visiting any other museum.

We loved browsing the Presidential portraits and were giddy and delighted to find Frank Underwood among them :) Hahaha! Fabulous. You could easily spend hours here just soaking it all in – so many unique pieces of art to see, and the bright airy atrium in the middle is a great place to rest.

I enjoy perusing museums and this one is large so comfortable shoes and clothing is helpful. So many wonderful portraits but my standout this visit ⁴⁄₁₆^th was the painting of Kevin Spacey as President Underwood from ‘House of Cards’ see photo. I was there to view a few Aneme’ movies from Japan which were shown downstairs in a clean and comfortable auditorium, which I learned about through my Unilocal app, yay.
I love museum gift shops because the selection is usually special. This one certainly had many products that I wanted to splurge on, such as a great tee shirt, coloring book and bag which were copied from the colorful and beautiful artwork of William H. Johnson (photo).
The outside entrances each have super sculptures that I like photographing. Easy access by Chinatown or Archives metro.

This is a great place just to stroll around and gawk at a really eclectic collection of stuff. There is a section where portraits and photos of US Presidents are hung. Of course, Bill Clinton’s is the most gaudy and largest. Everyone else has a professional look while his looks like it was done by Andy Warhol.
There is a collection of art that is made from trash. There is a collection of portrait of chiefs of American Indian Tribes. There are many portraits of our country’s founding fathers.
There is a poignant photo gallery of the United Farmworkers’ that recalls a time when Cesar Chavez and others demanded better treatment and pay for migrant workers.
If you are visiting DC, mark off about 2 hours and visit this place near Chinatown. Great restaurants in the area.

The building is a rectangular donut with a large glass covered atrium in the middle, similar to and by the same architect as the atrium of the British Museum in London. This creates a really nice space, and not out in DC’s sometimes problematical weather, and usually fairly quiet.
Each floor of this museum is half American Art and half National Portrait Museum, and you walk from one to another as you go around. A bit odd that there’s no really obvious division, but not a big deal. Both halves are interesting whether you are an art expert or aren’t really into art, with permanent collections plus often really good temporary exhibits. And while all the others close at 5:00 or 5:30pm, this one is open until 7:00pm (and opens later than the others) so after the others are closed you can zip up to this one. A little hike from the mall over several blocks.
Each museum or similar place in DC has a different security policy. Most look into your backpack and maybe rifle around a bit, and the Capitol won’t even let you in with your lunch in it. Ooops — good thing the awesome Library of Congress is across the street from the entrance (around on the back side). But the Portrait/​American Art has free lockers for you to use instead — no keys, just put in a four digit number like an ATM.
You aren’t supposed to bring food and drinks in, and food (usual museum priced gourmet-​ish stuff) is available, but I’ve seen people (probably workers on lunch) opening their McDonald’s sacks at tables in the atrium. Maybe if you zip right in and directly straight ahead to the atrium you can get the outside food in. I’ve put a sandwich under my jacket just in case they were looking and cared.

Located across the International Spy Museum, and connected to the American Art Museum by by a beautiful courtyard; this museum is entered from one set of doors for both Museums. Since the museum is free; be prepared to get your bags checked by security to permit food and water into the museum. If you do have these items, be prepared to trash it or rent out a locker to hold your stuff while you explore the museum. There are a total of 3 floors to explore with each level focusing on a specific time period, specific era in time or collection of paintings by a specific artist.
From the main entrance, veer to the right (pass the locker rooms) and you will be entering the world of paintings documenting America’s history from the 1600s onwards. There is something on each of the 3 floors that you will discover something that will catch your eye from the beautiful stained glass mosaics to the décor of each floor that brings out the arts culture of that time to you.
This particular side of the museum focuses on individuals that have shaped American’s culture from celebrities, sports stars, pop stars, activists, famous philanthropists such as Bill Gates & his wife, etc. Other famous people displayed are poets, presidents, important figures in shaping America’s past and present.
Good place to explore if you have some time. Place closes at 5:30pm.

Ahh… I came to National Portrait Gallery just to see Chuck Close’s artwork of Bill Clinton.
In addition, I really enjoyed the entire exhibit on this 2^nd level dedicated to Presidents. I actually was hoping to catch a Gallery of this nature while out in D. C…so it was awesome! From Washington, to Lincoln, to our more recent Bush and Clinton artworks… it was really neat to see it face to face.
As everyone else has stated, National Portrait is attached to Smithsonian American Art Museum, just separated by the Central Courtyard. Both museums are free. so even if you don’t have much time to spare, it’s worth a quick trip. Dedicate an hour and do 30 mins here and 30 mins at Smithsonian –there is just so much to soak up and see!

There isn’t much to say, one of the must-​see places in DC. Beautiful collection, nice indoor relaxing area and museum store with lots of chackis and souvenirs…

This is by far one of my favorite museums in DC, and I don’t make that statement lightly considering the plethora of quality nationally-​renowned museums in the DC area. There is something special about this building, from the beautiful historic architecture, to the magnificent halls filled with incredible collections of fine art dating back to as late as the 1700s!, and the calming oasis-​in-​the-​city type courtyard that really sets it apart from the other museums. This museum also reminds me of museums in Europe, with the grand open-​air atriums bustling with activity and just an overall modern-​meets-​historic type feel.
But with the building put aside, this is the kind of museum that you an casually walk in to as a local with no planning beforehand, leisurely stroll around the various exhibits of your taste, and then grab some espresso or a latte from the little coffee shop in the central courtyard and just sit there and soak in the calming ambiance, people watch etc., the whole nine yards I could literally sit there for HOURS, as I stated previously there is something calming about the courtyard, you will see people reading books, others having in-​depth conversations, kids playing in the water features, and every so often a tourist here and there snapping a picture.
And on that note, something else I like about this museum is the fact that it is one of the few museums that seems to truly cater to locals, they hold weekly workshops for inspiring artists and every so often have large community events in the atrium such as free musical concerts and showcases, during the World Cup they even hosted a free massive watch party for the final game, that’s right, an all out watch party at a museum with a giant gumbotron, alcohol, thousands of cheering fans, etc! How can you beat that!

Stunning architectural ceiling masterpiece!
Entering into the museum was breathtaking. The ceiling design was stunning and the interior colors change depending on the hour of the day and sunlight. It’s pretty amazing.

So in London there’s a National Portrait Gallery with a tremendous collection just around the corner from their legendary National Gallery on Trafalgar Square. Here in DC, the (U.S.) National Portrait Gallery is some blocks from the National Gallery of Art, and the distance is more than just physical, it suggests the lack of «art» and clear direction that have plagued both its permanent collection and special exhibitions. It’s located in an historic block square Old Patent Office building restored after many years of controversy and renamed the Reynolds Center which they awkwardly share with the Smithsonian American Art Museum (sometimes you’re in one museum, sometimes in the other, and sometimes without a floor plan you don’t know which institution you’re visiting). The National Portrait Gallery was only founded by an Act of Congress in 1962; it first opened in its current location in 1968. In addition to issues around building a collection and establishing a distinct identity and with the building itself, the Gallery has suffered from political pressures culminating in the Smithsonian Secretary General’s removing of a work by the artist David Wojnarowicz (1954 – 1992) from an exhibit addressing same-​sex love in 2010. Some individual works and exhibits at the Gallery are worth seeing, but as an institution its commingling with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and distance from the National Gallery of Art exemplify its clouded mission. The building it shares is accessible, has a gift shop and a great covered courtyard, although only a small food service.

My favorite museum in DC. I love walking up and down the hallways looking at all the art. They have soooo many cool portraits and their rotating exhibits are always cool too. I love the contemporary installations on the 3^rd floor too.
Check out the atrium before leaving. It is gorgeous!

These National Museums — and I’ve been to all of them in my visits to D.C. — are all terrific. However, I can say unequivocally that this was my favorite.
For me, art evokes creativity and emotion. I couldn’t help but stare at the terrific artwork and feel overwhelmed by the rich historic figures represented.
Loved the portrait of General Patton. George Washington, Abe Lincoln and JFK were my favorites. But it doesn’t end there. Sports figures, theatre and music figures, pop culture figures, and media figures are all represented.
The thing about this place — and it’s three levels — is it never loses a beat. You walk around and don’t want it to end. Every hallway and every turn provides such interesting and compelling artwork.
I highly recommend this place. You won’t be disappointed.

This museum is a real treat. I’ve been here a few times, and it never disappoints. When the weather is nice or there’s a special event, they set up a movie screen in the courtyard area. Last summer, for example, they were screening World Cup soccer games.
The reason to go to this museum is to see all the presidential (and first lady) portraits. They are so beautiful and contain so much history, and if you can get a docent tour, it’s a must! Also, there’s a wing that contains an exhibit of the presidential dogs, which is pretty cool. The National Portrait Gallery tends to have rotating exhibits, as well. One of the best exhibits I’ve ever seen was called «American Cool,» and it featured portraits (and photos and movies, etc.) of Hollywood celebs through the decades, including a really neat Jimi Hendrix gallery. If you come during lunch on a weekday, there are always food trucks parked out front, so that’s a plus!

«Face it…»
Is there any more perfect way to begin a review of this gallery? Am I risking getting demoted on Unilocal if I refer you to another Unilocaler’s review?! I must take this risk! (Good Americans in the nation’s history always take risks to do what is right and for the betterment of the nation.) I’ll link you at the end to Jeffie’s…or just skip there now if you’d like!
Confession: I’m a wanderer. I will go to a city with pretty much no itinerary and just walk. Or I will have one point of business (this day’s was «convention center») and then just go from there. ‘Tis how I came to land upon the steps of «The National Portrait Gallery.» I was already rained upon, out of juice on my phone and not meeting friends until much later. I needed warm respite and WOW did I find it — not only in the amazing faces staring back at me from the first floor hallways, but also from the awe-​inspiring atrium in the middle of the museum. (Odd association: this reminds me of Bellagio’s conservatory — though the undulating ceiling here is even more interesting — but it’s got that natural light and moist air. Just really unexpected.) Workers here were setting up for a formal event and it was joyous to see all the colors and glasses and flowers and so forth. Note: there is a café in here also serving F&B! What a nice place to enjoy a snack.
I then made my way up to the third floor charging area for my phone via the steps. I was pretty sure I was all «museum-​ed out,» going to just re-​charge my phone and leave. But then, I actually did chuckle out loud as I saw, «Face it» and I re-​charged enough myself via reading Jeffie J.‘s review that I HAD to seek these presidents out. I really appreciated his review for giving specifics — I HAD to see Nixon’s arm for example — I couldn’t imagine Rockwell alluding to a serpent.
So there you go. I can tell you too, that the third floor charging area is just beautiful. it’s a really nice place to get some down time and a second or third wind. Wanderer or hard-​core itinerary-​follower… this FREE gallery is a must-​see in DC.
Here is Jeffie’s review…

After a morning spent hanging w/​Abe (
) and then lunching at District Taco (
) it only seemed right to keep the good times rolling and visit the National Portrait Gallery.
Last time I visited DC I was about 8 years old… if we went to the NPG I don’t remember it. Now, as an adult I wish I had an entire afternoon to spend there.
For starters they have portraits of all of the Presidents. None of them done exactly the same — different sizes, shapes, techniques. Each one special in their own right.
And then the rest of the museum, which architecturally is very cool too, is a combination of modern and historical art and exhibits.
Awesome art + it’s open 10 – 7 every day and it’s free. It doesn’t get much better than that.