Looking for some National Portrait Gallery photos so you’ll know what the museum is all about? Looking at the photos below should give you an idea of what to expect.
There’s a lot to see in Washington DC, and those who come to visit usually don’t have enough time to see it all. As a DC local, I can vouch for the fact that the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (also known as “American Art Museum”) is a MUST-SEE on anyone’s to-do list.
You’re going to see for yourself exactly what it is about the National Portrait Gallery that makes it so popular (spoiler: there’s more than just a bunch of portraits of people who died forever ago).
After seeing these awesome photos that were taken from just a few of the exhibits, you will know exactly what to expect from the museum.
This post is all about what the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery has to offer.
Landscapes
For nature lovers make sure to stop by the Early Republic and Landscapes exhibits on the second floor. Here you can find some truly stunning depictions of the American frontier as it was back when the Indians were still running things.
As you can see from the picture above there are plenty of paintings worth swooning over. You’re seriously missing out if you don’t at least come to take in Albert Bierstadt’s Among the Sierra Nevada.
Just take a look at the young couple above. They love it so much they’ve forgotten their phones exist. Not much can do that these days…
These exhibits have something to offer everyone. The paintings here portray just about every single climate and biome of the United States. There are some especially incredible paintings of America’s most famous natural wonders before they all became tourist deathtraps. These include Niagara Falls, The Grand Canyon, and Zion National Park, all displayed in incredible detail.
America’s Presidents
This is perhaps the most popular exhibit in the museum. It’s also probably the main reason why most people come to visit in the first place.
Here you can find the official portraits of 45 presidents. They start with George Washington and go all the way up to Donald Trump. Joe hasn’t been invited to the party yet, but he will be as soon as someone else steps in to take over for him as the next president.
Next to each portrait is a brief description of the subject’s time in office and what they accomplished as president. Among the best pieces are the portraits of Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, and both of the Roosevelts.
This part of the museum also doubles as a great place to people watch. Look for the politically-charged scoffs and eye rolls as the museum-goers make their way through the exhibit.
The female visitors seemed to be especially interested in the portrait of Bill Clinton.
Impressionism
I personally don’t know much about impressionist art (or any other kind of art really), but I will say that I found some of my favorite paintings here. If I remember correctly, a lot of these paintings were owned by extremely rich families during the Gilded Age as a way to flex their wealth. They have since been passed down to the museum in one way or another.
Luce Foundation Center
A unique little area tucked away on the third floor, the Luce Foundation Center is a storage area that also serves as an exhibit and creative space.
Here the museum stores hundreds of pieces that they don’t yet know what to do with while also putting them on display for all to see. The lower floor contains several large sculptures as well as a cozy little café area.
If you climb one of the tiny staircases to the mezzanines above you’ll find them packed with tons of paintings and sculptures displayed on shelves. It’s almost like a little library with pieces of art instead of books.
Great Hall
Once you get to the third floor, you’ll be met with the impressive neoclassical architecture of the Great Hall.
The Great Hall is where the portraits of Twentieth-Century Americans are located. You can see dozens of portraits of modern American heroes here. Among them are the legendary boxer Muhamad Ali, Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter, and LL Cool J.
The mezzanine above splits into two sections: the Champions exhibit, which focuses on professional athletes, and the BRAVO! exhibit, which focuses on entertainers.
Folk and Self-taught Art
This is where the museum conveniently keeps all pieces created by self-taught artists. It’s tucked away in this dark corner of the building because a lot of the art (particularly the sculptures) are definitely a bit PG-13. As a result, not many people come to this area, so it’s a nice place to take pictures of some wacky art without having anyone get in your way.
Has anyone else reading this been to the National Portrait Gallery? If, so leave a comment and let us know what you think of it!
This post was all about the best that the National Portrait Gallery has to offer and should give you a good idea of what to expect on your first visit.
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