National Portrait Gallery is an art museum in Washington, D.C. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution and focuses on collecting and displaying images of famous Americans. It is the only major museum in the United States dedicated to portraits.
The United States Congress founded the National Portrait Gallery in 1962. It defined the museum’s mission as exhibiting portraits of “men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States.” Initially, the museum’s collection was limited to paintings, prints, engravings, and drawings. Later, the museum expanded its collections to include sculpture, photographs, and videos. By the early 2000’s, the museum owned more than 21,000 works of art.
One of the gallery’s most popular permanent exhibits is ” America’s Presidents ,” which includes portraits of nearly all the presidents of the United States. One of the most prominent paintings in this collection is the famous “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington . The 8-foot- (2.4-meter-) tall full-length portrait was painted by American artist Gilbert Stuart in 1796.
The National Portrait Gallery is in the Old Patent Office Building at 8th and F Streets NW in Washington, D.C. The building was designed in the Greek Revival style by the American architect Robert Mills and constructed from 1836 to 1868. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is also housed in the Old Patent Office Building. The National Portrait Gallery opened to the public in 1968. Admission is free.
