Housed in a National Historic Landmark building which it shares with the American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery displays the connection between American history, biography and art, covering more than 225 years of history.
The collection is presented in a series of thematic galleries, including "America's Presidents," “America Origins, 1600-1900,” and “20th Century Americans,” and "The Struggle For Justice."
"Champions" and "Bravo!" showcase sports figures, and composers and performers from the beginning of the 20th century to the present.
”Jo Davidson: Biographer in Bronze” is a collection of 14 portraits in bronze and terra-cotta made by American sculptor Jo Davidson between 1908 and 1946.
Please check the museum website for updated exhibition information. Scheduling may have been modified as a result of the temporary museum closure.
Exhibitions & Dates
Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands
Aug 27 2021 - May 30 2022
Portraits giving a complex picture of an Asian Pacific American experience
Her Story: A Century of Women Writers
Sep 18 2020 - Jan 23 2022
Twenty-four women whose books have become classics
“Warranted to Give Satisfaction”: Daguerreotypes by Jeremiah Gurney
Jun 25 2021 - Feb 6 2022
Gurney's daguerreotypes were hailed as “nearer to absolute perfection” than those of others.
Block by Block: Naming Washington
Jul 30 2021 - Jan 16 2023
16 portraits explore people for whom Washington, D.C.’s streets were named
The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today
Apr 30 2022 - Feb 26 2023
42 finalists selected for the sixth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition
Recent Acquisitions: Gifts from the Corcoran Gallery of Art
Oct 9 2020 - Oct 23 2022
A selection of portraits from the gift of 80 works