- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
National Portrait Gallery
Categories: Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Arts & Entertainment Museums Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Museums [Edit]
8th St & F St NWWashington, DC 20560
Neighborhood: Penn Quarter
(202) 357-1300
- Nearest Transit:
-
Gallery Place Chinatown Metro Station (Green, Red, Yellow)
Archives Metro Station (Green, Yellow)
Metro Center Metro Station (Blue, Orange, Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
191 reviews for National Portrait Gallery
Review Highlights
"The Kogod Courtyard is my new favorite spot to lunch."
(in 11 reviews)
"Also they have an amazing portrait of LL Cool J."
(in 6 reviews)
"until Stephen Colbert showed up."
(in 9 reviews)
Loading...
191 reviews in English
-
Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
Listen, I'm not really a "museum" gal.
I really, really want to be. But my attention span is short, my interest level somewhat low...and I just don't dig it. I get bored quickly and want to run.
The National Portrait Gallery is the non-museum goers museum. A museum for the people!
First, a few points of interest:
*It is FREE. Just walk in. No lines, no cash, just have yourself a good time. Even on a busy Saturday the gallery is so expansive that it never feels overrun.
*The interior courtyard is a beautiful place to sit and rest. Catch your breath. Grab a coffee, even.
*Gift shop = pretty rad. My friend made a good point that you can get the gist of a museum's offerings by checking out the gift shop first, so that is indeed what we did. Good stuff! I saw a great license plate installation that reminded me of my pops.
*The building itself is so expansive and the architecture so stunning...that in and of itself it is worth a trip.
So if you aren't really into museums, put this on your list. It's easy to do the floors fairly quickly or at a leisurely pace. There is a mix of the old (Presidential Portraits, definite must-see, you are in DC after all!) with the new (Modern floor all the way to the top).
Approved!Listed in: Colleen goes to Washington DC
-
Review from Semra E.
1/23/2012
One of the best art galleries that DC has to offer, right in the heart of multiple restaurants and bars to check out before or after. The other great thing about this museum, (unlike the other Smithsonian ones), is that on Sunday's this gallery stays open until 7p.m. Most museums in DC close around 5:30 p.m.
Currently one of the great exhibits that is showing here, (which should NOT be missed) is, "The Black List" (which will be on display through April 22nd). I promise you, this one is 100% worth coming out for.
Make sure you check out their shop inside on either end, also make sure that you go in the middle of the building, there is a beautiful indoor courtyard with an open sky light glass roof, which brings in wonderful light. Lots of people bring their laptops, lunch etc. and sit inside this area during the day. It's worth even just a walk through if you've never been there before. -
Review from Dana Z.
1/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I love the portrait gallery!! I love the courtyard in the center when they have the water running, although I think it's broken because I haven't seen it turned on for at least a year now whenever I go :(
I particularly like the photography by Martin Schoeller and some of the more modern portraits.
It's in a great location and I think is open later than some of the other museums. I will usually come here just to kill some time before dinner or whenever since it's in a central locationListed in: Museums
-
Review from Donald P.
12/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
When I think of an art gallery I think of something new you want to exhibit or promote, and an art museum is a place where you collect a bunch of old stuff for historical purposes. The National Portrait Gallery has a little bit of both.
I can't really say I understand art in the contemporary or modern sense, and it's quite a stretch for me to say I appreciate art in the traditional sense too. Some of it is just crazy mad skill, others are just a pieces of $#!& strewn across canvas. Art? I don't think so.
My quick definition of ART:
(1) it's something the average person or I can't do
(2) it's outside-the-box thinking
(3) it has a high cool factor, not boring self-portraits, etc.
I'm surprised there aren't more raging hormone pumping teenagers in here with all the naked women portraits here, must be the internet.
Anyway the coolest thing is the Kogod Courtyard. Definitely a must see, plus it's free. If you're looking for time to kill, this is a great place to do it. I can't quite say I'm a fan though thus the 3 stars. -
Review from Phil M.
Bethesda, MD
1/27/2012
Haven't been here since the renovations I am embarrassed to say, and was I blown away. What a spectacular job. The archive section, if that is what it is called, is really something. The courtyard is wonderful. I spent a lot of time in the historical portrait section going through the birth of our nation in portraits. Really worth a visit. I am going back again and again.
-
Review from Ernest C.
Washington, DC
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of the absolute best Galleries in the city... and, it's free!
-
Review from Tim S.
11/10/2011
Took some time out of my busy work schedule to visit the National Portrait Gallery and am happy I did. What a wonderful space filled with great images and articles from throughout history of the USA.
If you get tired grab a drink or a bite to eat to take a break in the atrium, one of the nicest covered open spaces I have been to. -
Review from Tim R.
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of the most interesting galleries I've ever visited. The ground floor was arranged roughly chronologically, and is a must-see for anyone interesting in American history. The Gertrude Stein exhibit wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped, but the permanent sections more than made up for it.
Go here. It's free. They allow photography (except in the special exhibits), and the building itself is impressive. -
Review from Gabriela G.
Los Angeles, CA
10/21/2011
I really enjoyed visiting this museum.
I went for their Alexander Calder special exhibit but got an all around tour of the place.
Got there before it opened so i had a chance to walk around Chinatown and grab a coffee at the Chinatown Coffee Company which has a hip and relaxed vibe as well as delicious caffeinated beverages!
This museum was lots of fun.
Starting from the architecture of the building itself (old block of concrete reminiscent of an old city hall building or castle, but modified with modern aesthetics that can be best appreciated from the center courtyard. Across the street from the museum is a Mies Van der Rohe (incase you are a fan of architecture) and there is a battle with the city because the neighbors think it's an ugly building and want to tear it down, but given that Mies Van Der Rohe is one of the pioneers of modern architecture, there is a debate as to whether it should be torn down (by demand of the people) or should be preserved (for historical purposes).
As far as the museum, there is an ample selection of portrait dating back to the early 1700s and while this may sound boring (Who wants to look at Portraits of people you dont even know, if you wanna do that, might as well just go on facebook!) it's actually quite interesting. Some of these portraits are creatively put together in ways you'd have never imagined. The modern stuff is very interesting with interactive exhibits, and portraits of hip hop celebrities, Shepard Fairey's rendition of Barrack Obama, George Clooney dancing in a cage, and more. My favorite part was definitely the Alexander Calder room.
If you go and plan to stay the whole day, on their top floor they have a room of archived paintings and art. You can browse through the pieces like you would through a poster rack at a music store, and you can pull out drawers and drawers of folk art and handmade jewelry. Also on this floor there is a large piece by Los Angeles East LA Artist Frank Romero, painting of a lowrider car which was a reminder of how much i love the city of LA even while enjoying great art on the East Coast! -
Review from Roger H.
San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011
It's open late every day and you can see all the presidents.
-
Review from Lexie D.
9/3/2011
From the amazing array of Beards of Our Time (see: US Presidents) to more contemporary interpretations of what it means to be an American, this museum provides a lovely, free, lighthearted walk through history. Want to learn something? Read all the plaques! Want to be mindless for a few minutes? See some pop art a la Andy Warhol!
My favorite part is the "new arrivals" section of the museum (first floor) because it will invariably be the best hodge-podge of Americans ever.Listed in: DC for Doers
-
Review from Gina K.
Yes, I've been through the whole museum.
Yes the death mask of Lincoln and it's pretty cool to see pop cultural icons along side our typical historic figures but what draws me into the National Portrait Gallery is the Kogod Courtyard.
Conde Nast Traveler named the Kogod Courtyard as one of the 7 architectural wonders of the world. I went expecting to be awed.
Yes the waving ceiling of steel, and glass is really impressive but... really? 7 wonders? To be fair though, Conde Nast also had London's Wembley Stadium, which seats 90,000 with no obstructed sight lines on it's 7 wonders list. So... take it with a grain of salt.
The Kogod Courtyard is a lovely hushed space. Great for lunch and quiet conversations but I wasn't jaw dropped inspired. I keep going back hoping maybe the lighting on a sunnier day will impress me. Searching for the water inspired elements that landscape desinger, Kathryn Gustafson wanted.
To me I don't think it's a architectural wonder of the world but it does evoke a contemplative calm to sit underneath it's beautiful canopy of light. Come in and take in a bit of art and history. -
Review from Michael G.
Rockville, MD
A phrase that gets overused a lot in this town (by one smarmy little pundit weasel at least), is: "you're a great American." The reason it's overused is that there's no one set of attributes that defines what a "great American" is. Well, that's not entirely true. See, if someone's visage is in the National Portrait Gallery, they meant something to a lot of people at some point in U.S. history. And that's pretty great.
So, I guess, it's alright in my mind to call anyone enshrined in here a "great American" while interviewing them. Even Henry Kissinger.
The ground floor of memorable peeps is almost a history museum with mostly staid, chronological, traditional portraits and busts of both those who have been lifted to sacred status in our country and placards explaining why they're considered "great." But the best part is there are even some people with more mixed reviews (the portrait of John Brown with crazy eyes is one of the more interesting pieces in the place) and even some portraits of those considered "villains" (Brits and Indians and Confederates, oh my!) by the history books.
However, to me, it's when the visitor leaves the confines of settled for the ages celebrity that this museum gets awesome. The portraits in the 1900 to the present galleries completely leave the canvas behind and represent the times they were painted or sculpted. From a New Yorker-esque Alan Greenspan caricature to Buckminster Fuller's head as a geodesic dome, the portraits have as much life as who they represent. There's even a very 1980s photo of Molly Ringwald (and, yes, she deserves to be in here)! Many portraits cross the line into fascinating modern art rather than simple representation.
And it doesn't hurt that, since the museum is open late, there are dozens of cute, professionally dressed girls who flock here after work. I don't know why they do, but a lot of them are as pretty as any picture and some might even be "great Americans" in waiting.Listed in: Show Me The Way To The Next…, Newbie Near D.C.
-
Review from Shaady F.
Washington, DC
12/8/2011
The exhibit I most often visit is the permanent "America's Presidents" which is literally portraits of every president. Be sure to check out the one of Nixon by Norman Rockwell.
-
Review from Ken G.
7/25/2011
Wow, a really great museum...perfect for any art buff. Once can find everything from modern to contemporary art here.
The museum is broken up into several sections so each one is very interesting and distinct...I highly recommend this spot. -
Review from Lesley G.
Winston-Salem, NC
7/21/2011
This is certainly a beautiful building with no shortage of things to look at, and I really enjoyed it. However, I really wish that some of the portraits had more explanation behind them on the plaques. A lot of the time I would be really interested in something I saw but there was no deep detail in the little blurb provided. I feel like I could have enjoyed my visit more if I had understood it better.
Also, in the upper levels the art is so crowded and stacked on top of each other, its hard to appreciate it. The security guards are a little snippy. I'm REALLY curious as to why guests aren't allowed to hold bags next to their bodies. My arm really hurt from carrying my bag at my side for so long.Listed in: DC Visits
-
Review from Juliet S.
6/27/2011
Love, love, love the NPG. Such a wealth of artwork that really encompasses the history of America through the faces of the people that - in big or small ways - contributed to this nation.
One of my favorites and an obvious highlight is the presidential exhibit. Here, every president of the US of A is on display. Some lucky dogs have multiple portraits. Some (Bill Clinton's, for example) are brilliantly and oddly done, while the majority are more traditional. Some of the most famous paintings of the prezzies (like the Lansdowne portrait of George Washington that is on the cover of 50% of HS history textbooks) are on display. Along with each prezzie is a brief - and surprisingly fair - critique of each man's respective reign, ups and downs, challenges, and personal life. Very, very well done.
Another great exhibit is the social justice hall, which I believe is somewhat on the new side. Civil, women's, and gay rights photos, portraits, and documentaries are on display.
From athletes to musicians to technology entrepreneurs and everyday folk, the NPG has got Americans covered. I myself am I fan of the more traditional styles, but there is something here for every taste to appreciate.
Another huge perk of the NPG is the GORGEOUS Kogod courtyard/arboretum. Free wi-fi and a wonderful place to grab a cup of coffee (or mini bottle of wine) and curl up with your laptop to work or just sit and let yourself be. (Prices at the cafe are absolutely ridiculous, but, that isn't all that surprising).
Being that this museum is a short walk from my house, I have visited many, many times, yet I still feel like this is a place I can visit and see something new each time. Definitely makes for a winner.Listed in: DC Date Ideas, My DC Hood: Mt. Vernon…, Must-See DC
-
Review from Jon S.
Washington, DC
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The center courtyard is the most comfortable place on the Eastern seaboard. I really really wish the coffee here was better, then I would give it a 5 star for sure.
The art is also great! -
Review from Yan W.
Fairfax, VA
8/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
The artwork was great. Not necessarily my cup o tea, but great nonetheless. However, I never liked the "no cameras in certain rooms" thing at museums... How about no flash? Nope, no cameras. I can't see how taking a no flash picture would hurt the picture, plus I can find that same portrait probably on line, so it's not like it's copyrighted...
The one rule I did like was the backpack rule. You have to ditch it or carry it on your chest. Even with the rule in effect, people were clumsily knocking into the art... and some people were even touching it! Of course this set off alarms, which kind of ruined the ambiance. Perhaps before people go into the museum, they should have a 15 second video on the "do's and don'ts"... without the added alarm noise, I think it would have been a 4 star experience. -
Review from Hideki K.
6/17/2011
The National Portrait Gallery is a Great Museum with an Excellent Court Yard!
Glad this Smithsonian Museum is open until 7pm! It was a nice refuge from the heat and humidity outside, providing free air conditioning and viewing of famous portraits, esp those who appeared in "Midnight in Paris" like Hemingway & F. Scott Fitzgerald.
There are three floors here with an additional mezzanine. The third floor is supposedly the largest, or one of the largest rooms in America.
When you go, definitely check out the Presidential portraits. You'll see some famous ones here like the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington.
I'm not sure if outside food is allowed, but the courtyard is spacious and extremely relaxing. It's an indoor-outdoor type and feels nicer than sitting outside. The air tasted fresh there for some reason.
The National Portrait Gallery is right next to Chinatown and the MCI Center (not sure what the name of it is now, it's the Washington Capitols/Wizards venue), and near the Spy Museum and Ford's Theatre. It is not to be overlooked! Like all Smithsonians in DC, admission is FREE.Listed in: Best of DC (Washington, DC)
-
Review from Shachi B.
2/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is yet another Smithsonian so admission is free. It's a great place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. Some current (March 2011) highlights:
Americans Now - don't miss the George Lucas, Toni Morrison, LL Cool J and Chuck Close portraits.
Alexis Rockman - if you miss this exhibit you're an idiot! I cannot say enough about how cool this one is!!!
Permanent Collection: I like the paintings on the 3rd floor. Michael Jackson, the Hepburn Oscars both can be found there. On the 1st floor, stop by and check out the Pocahontas portrait - it's such a neat one to see (and easy to miss!). And no, there isn't a cartoon racoon in the background... it's the real deal.
This winter they're going to have the the History of Video Games as an upcoming exhibit, which I'm BEYOND excited about!! -
Review from Sean M.
10/13/2011
Want an experience that mixes old art, new art and ridiculously cool building design? Check out the National Portrait Gallery! I LOVE this place! They have the best exhibits, cool history (they have the receiving room that Abraham Lincoln used for his inauguration) and an awesome building (I love the stacks). It doesn't get much better museum wise in DC.
-
Review from Jen S.
1/21/2011
My husband and I came to kill some time before Yelp's Most Wanted Party and glad that we did. This is a huge museum of art so we hit some of the exhibits that I thought would be interesting. My husband usually doesn't have an opinion either way when it comes to art. He's just in it for the ride.
i really enjoyed the "Americans Now" (portraits of famous figures in literature, sports, and entertainment) and "The Struggle for Justice" exhibit (portraits of MLK, Thurgood Marshall, etc.). Now, if you hit up "America's Presidents" exhibit, you'll get to see a huge portrait of Clinton which super magnifies his nose.
We stumbled upon the courtyard, this huge open space and a faux-like sky. Sorta reminded me of Caesar's Place in LV. Information desk was really helpful. Best part of this spot is that it's open til 7 p.m. on the weekdays. -
Review from Jody S.
Los Angeles, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
After multiple trips to DC, I have yet to cover all the museums and historical landmarks in the area. Ran through the National Portrait Gallery an hour before they closed. They have a special Asian Artist exhibit going on right now located on the 1st floor that I enjoyed. My main purpose was to see the famous president portraits. After doing so,...headed up to the modern art section very cool pieces. The staff are very adamant about closing on time...they will literally herd everyone out towards the exit. This is a good place to go to if you're in the Chinatown DC area that highlights the past and present. There's supposed to be an amazing covered plaza in the middle but I didn't have a chance to see it. Will have to just come again to see the rest. Also, free too! =)
-
Review from Courtney E.
Takoma Park, MD
3/25/2011
I loved coming here to check out the historical portraits- it's actually fun to do alone. Just sent your iPod on something thoughtful and go. One of my favorite free Smithsonian's that I can get lost in.
The food court is overpriced and unimpressive, so sneak snacks in. :-) -
Review from Melissa W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Shhh... don't tell anyone but I'm not the biggest fan of portrait art....
BUT for a museum dedicated to portraits, this museum is pretty cool. The whole museum isn't JUST portraits, though. They have a permanent modern and contemporary art section and a sculpture exhibit. I mean portraits are like looking at pictures of people, but famous people and fancier.
It's free like all the other Smithsonian's. It's big like all the other Smithsonian's. It's ridiculously well stocked like all the other Smithsonian's. I got here too close to closing so i had to pick and choose about what I wanted to see. Focused a lot of my attention to the modern and contemporary art on the top floor which was really 2 floors in one, and the portraits on the first floor. Missed half of the presidents portraits cus I'm a dummie but saw the "champions" portraits and "bravo!" portraits.
Went on a weeknight and it was open until 7! fannnntastic. It's not a very busy museum which was kinda nice, and had several places you can get lost in. There's a pretty large collection by Alexis Rockman. Not the biggest fan, he's a little too blunt for me... look him up... you'll see.
The building is beautiful, especially the courtyard. Look up! the ceiling is AWESOME!Listed in: DC
-
Review from Louis B.
One of the gems of the National system of Smithsonian museums. Their latest exhibit, dealing with LGBT issues, was both controversial and spellbinding. From the earliest glimpses, to the openness of the 1920s, to the inhumanity of the McCarthy era, to the Maplethorpe age, to today's new calls for theocratic censure, it was a wide and open exibit that recalled the need for vigilance on First Amendment issues. Next door, the Presidential portrait exhibit was asbolutely superb. Near-forgotten excerpts from FDR's Fireside Chats made folks reminisce of today's political fracas.
You haven't visited Washington until you've been to the Portrait Gallery... -
Review from Jessie K.
Washington, DC
1/12/2011
I think this might actually be my favorite of the Smithsonian museums. One of my favorite things is that it is open until 7 on weeknights, and that it has such a long and interesting history. The building is the Old Patent Office, but it has also served as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and was used as a hospital during the Civil War. Mary Todd Lincoln used to visit the soldiers there.
The art here is different from the other museums because the museum was founded on the premise that it be a history museum, and that the paintings be about the status of the sitter rather than the painting itself. Which is not to say that there isn't great art, after all, the building also includes the American Art collection. The gallery of US presidents is always interesting, and does a great job of tracing trends in facial hair throughout the ages. But the special exhibits are always changing and bringing in great collections, from portraits of famous 20th century Americans to George Lucas and Steven Spielbergs' private Normal Rockwell collection. -
Review from Lindsey G.
Beverly Hills, CA
5/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this museum. It is huge so make sure you check their website before to see what special exhibits they may have going on. When I was there last, there were actors to accompany the "Champions" and "Bravo" galleries. As you walked around they'd give 3-5 minutes speeches about their characters life etc. It was a wonderful mixed media presentation.
The most amazing part is the courtyard. With free wi-fi available, and a lil cafe close by, it is the perfect space to relax, study, research, read, and people-watch on any day in DC. -
Review from Melissa F.
Providence, RI
12/19/2010
I am a history-aholic. History, to me, is beautiful. The National Portrait Gallery is a stunning example.
I had been to the section on the US Presidents once before, but upon going last week, going face-to-face with the most iconic portraits made my heart race. I don't care how lame that is :). You might not tear through books on the US Presidents like I do, but even then, if you pick up a US history book and it features a picture of a US president, odds are, its original version is hanging in the NPG. Pretty amazing. There are concise, well-worded blurbs on each president, perfect for the beginner or even the most seasoned historian forgetting what on earth Grover Cleveland did (served two non-consecutive terms in the late 1800s, was rather large, and had an artificial jaw inserted surgically while on a boat).
The section on the US Presidents is a real treasure. Each president has a portrait, though the more important ones get more wall space (and there are extras, like creepy-but-cool plaster casts of Lincoln's hands). There are a few videos and audio recordings scattered throughout. Even if you don't like the US Presidents that much, seeing their portraits up close is cool for nearly anyone! Try not to be impressed by the original Gilbert Sullivan paintings of George Washington from the late 1700s. I dare you.
PS: The "Elvis at 21" exhibit was awesome. Elvis looked, like, really hot. I mean, it was a wonderful photographic series, full of introspection, mmhmm.
PPS: Warren G. Harding (US President 1921-23, gambler extraordinaire, regarded as one of the worst presidents in US history)...why do you get a wall? That's like a girl from "My Super Sweet Sixteen" getting a birthday month. -
Review from Kelly G.
12/15/2010
This gallery is awesome! I stopped in on my way to meet some friends so I could take a quick, exploratory spin through the "Elvis at 21" photography exhibit. This is one of the beautiful things about living in DC, home to the *free* museum/gallery/artspace. It was great! I know I might not seem like the Elvis type, but face it, and I already tweeted it, he was fine! MMMM Mmmm mm!
The gallery is all shiny and glistening. Looks brand new. Wait. What? It is renovated! It was under construction for the past few years and re-opened a couple of years back.Its a beaut! Just like the photos of Elvis.
Just to be in the presence of this beautiful gallery I'll return again and again! This is as good as it gets! -
Review from Merida F.
3/20/2011 5 photos
This is a great museum to wander through on a rainy day...or any day because you never know what to expect. I love the art deco part upstairs. I have been there several times now and I still love going! If you go into the courtyard it is covered and it has a pretty cool fountain during the summer.
If you wander all the way upstairs it is an archive of American art and knickknacks. In fact, I think I recognized something that my grandmother owns! -
Review from Derrick D.
Orange, TX
5/19/2011
Fantastic gallery, however I wish I appreciated this type of art more. My wife and I wanted to view the presidential portraits (which was fantastic and worth every minute) but took the time to view the rest of the museum as well.
I prefer photography to paintings, and some of the photography inside was absolutely amazing.
Well worth your time. -
Review from Nicole L.
11/8/2010
I almost just want to keep it quiet about this place.
I didn't get a chance to walk around the museum but we really came here to sit at the courtyard. I was hoping to get some reading done while killing time before the Capitals game. It was such a great space with the glass roof. It reminded me of Hotel Monaco's courtyard. Surprisingly it was not very crowded. There were tables and chairs available. Some people sat there with their homework or with a book. It's so beautiful you can just sit there and appreciate the space. It's funny the night before I was chatting with a friend who's an architect that I lost touch with and I was trying to tell him how he would love to see DC.
I have to check the actual museum out soon. -
Review from Dallas T.
San Diego, CA
9/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Count me as a fan. Been to many other SI museums, but this was my first time here. The portraits and courtyard are wonderful.
-
Review from Áine F.
Baltimore, MD
8/30/2010
DC Yelp! isn't exactly hurting for interesting, erudite, well-connected Yelpers, but one of our very own, Christopher T., leads tours of the various member institutions of the Smithsonian as part of his job. When he generously offered to take any of us who were interested on a private tour of the NPG, I leapt at the opportunity.
I am so glad I did! We wandered around one of the more eclectic collections and spilled into the American Art Museum as well. I was surprised to realize that I had never actually been here before. What a shame! The building itself is wonderfully in flux. Former offices are become galleries. The two collections complement each other. And the number of vanity pieces and fantasy landscapes fade away compared to the vibrant, at times thrilling, works that really make this a great experience.
Be sure to leave a lot of time for the submissions to the NPG's Boochever Portrait Competition: http://www.portraitcom... Many of them are world-class.
And take a tour with an insider. It's a pretty special experience. -
Review from Mike T.
Alexandria, VA
8/30/2010
For the first time since I was a wee-man, I got to go to this newly-refurbished museum housed in the historic mid-19th century Patent Office Building. While I don't have that great a memory about how it was on my first visit, I can say that these days, it is pretty damn cool.
The National Portrait Gallery, combined with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is a fine destination for its mix of history and art. I made sure to check out the portraits of the presidents (the only part I remembered from my last visit), as well as any other historical figures I could find. But the museum has a lot more. According to their website, "the Gallery presents the wonderful diversity of individuals who have left--and are leaving--their mark on our country and our culture." I did have kind of a problem with the displays of currently-famous people, though, as such portraits felt more like self-promotion than tribute. Was having a huge portrait of LL Cool J really necessary? The display of the results of a national portrait competition was a mixed bag as well. But all in all, you will find a wealth of interesting displays that are unique to this museum.
The American Art Museum section was pretty neat too, with its mixture of traditional and modern styles. But since a lot of that stuff was over my head, I breezed through that section pretty quickly.
We came in the early evening and practically had the place to ourselves. It was nice to be lead around by a bonafide insider as well. Thanks to fellow Yelper Christopher T. for bringin' the culture to this lazy tourist! -
Review from Mike S.
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Having not been to the Portait Gallery since I was a wee lad, I finally decided to get some culture in me. This place is pretty massive. Unless you get there early in the day, I don't think you can get through the whole thing in a day.
Anyway, since my parents and I have a huge interest in rock and roll, we decided to check out the Elvis at 21 exhibit (I think it may just ended but I am not sure about that). In the process of getting there we passed through many other temporary exhibits such as HIDE/SEEK: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture which was all about gender and sexuality (sadly this was after A Fire in My Belly was pulled). Very interesting exhibit.
We also passed this one room temporary exhibit about the transformation of Penn Quarter. If you happen to pass that, definitely check it out. Who knew that even back 1992, Penn Quarter was filled with tattoo parlors and porn shops and other such fun stuff? Crazy.
I feel like I am starting to ramble so the point is even if you are not an art connoisseur, definitely check out this museum. If you cannot find at least one exhibit that interests you then there is something very wrongListed in: "What's that Building with the…
-
Review from Sean B.
2/10/2011
Of course it is 5 stars. I mean:
1.It's free
2. It has a kick ass courtyard that is enclosed so you don't freeze your ass off in winter or sweat it off either in summer.
3. It is across the street from Gallery Place Metro and within walking distance of Metro Center. IOW, its close to every Metro line. I've come here a couple times just to kill some time before meeting people in Chinatown.
4. It usually has some cool special exhibit. Right now it is Elvis at 21.
5. The permanent collection ain't so shabby either.
One hell of a deal! -
Review from Linda S.
Lakewood, CA
4/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a great way to spend the day. Wandering the halls looking at all the faces.
The cafe was a bit pricey, but the museum is free so an easy trade off. Plus they offered a wide variety of food. Their salad bar had a great assortment of toppings and best of all mixed greens (had spent the week prior in Orlando aka the land of iceberg).
