Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Review

This museum was a great experience. Their displays or well-done and provoke emotion. My only complaint is there so much to see and so much walking to do.

Off the mall and away from the hustle. Great art of all types.

We took our 12 and under daughters and they were all mesmerized by the gifted magic performance during the Chinese New Year celebration. We all marvelled at the Presidential Portraits and overall wished we had more time to explore. Totally a fun place to visit.

Really cool museum. The food and drink options were pricey

A really nice manageable sized gallery in the heart of the revitalized China Town section of the city. Go for art stay for some food or drink. You won't be disappointed with either.

Free with many types of art. Easily accessible from the gallery place metro stop (green line)

Very nice building, the interior court is very impressive, the curved ceiling is worth entering the building.
Also other parts of the museum were the patent office before it was changed into the portrait gallery, so these parts of the building are impressive too.
The president's paintings are also worth going to the museum.

Beautiful underrated space in DC. The gallery features fantastic rotating and all-the-time exhibits and the location is easy to access via metro. It's also a great place to go for some quiet reading / writing or just doing the crossword puzzle. This is especially true because it's free to enter! I've stopped by several times after work simply to unwind.

I enjoyed the building and it's history as much as I enjoyed the art.

Jazz tribute to Nat King Cole bv Intrgriti Reeves was awesome. Venue 8s perfect for a perfect evening out with friends

As many times as I've been to D.C. I'd not visited here. I was so glad I did last trip. Great selection of pieces and interesting displays to talk about the work in the context it was created.

The building itself is a work of art. The art work is varied and incredible. You'd need multiple, multiple multi-hour visits to even enjoy half of what is on display.

Great museum. The extended hours beyond the other museums make it a great stop in the evenings.

Lovely just lovely something for everyone evening the children

Loved it we saw all the portraits of the President's and their wives that weekend the Obama's were the big attraction and they were lovely portraits

Must visit! Don't miss President Obama's Presidential Portrait

Great place. I'd visit the portrait galley over the art museum.

Great museum with great hours after every other museum is closed

This is a really big Museum it's actually 2 museums in one.

Definitely worth visiting if in DC for more than a few days! Amazing guided tour - learned so much from FREE docent-led guide

I really enjoy this museum, but get ready for long lines if you want to see the Obama portraits!

I just love looking at art and the history that is drawn into it

Can't miss it. You might think it'd all be portraits of stuffy old white Founding Fathers, but it's way, way more than that! Has portraits of American both famous and unknown from all walks of life, with other artworks and artifacts to put them in context. Went back twice to see the whole darn thing. Plus it shares a space with the excellent Smithsonian American Art Museum.

If you haven't gone yet, there's a fantastic Titus Kaphar exhibition going on right now, so now's a great time!

Very interesting gallery to visit. The creativity behind each of the arts displayed is exceptional.
P.s The museum also has excellent background and lighting for memorable pictures.

If you like art, then go here. Make sure you have a few hours of time because there is a lot of art to look at.

wish we had more time, did not fully expect the size of the collection!

There is so much to see! Stopped to see some sculptures this time.

The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856.[4] The gallery moved in 1896 to its current site at St Martin's Place, off Trafalgar Square, and adjoining the National Gallery. It has been expanded twice since then. The National Portrait Gallery also has regional outposts at Beningbrough Hall in Yorkshire and Montacute House in Somerset. It is unconnected to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, with which its remit overlaps. The gallery is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The gallery houses portraits of historically important and famous British people, selected on the basis of the significance of the sitter, not that of the artist. The collection includes photographs and caricatures as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture.[5] One of its best-known images is the Chandos portrait, the most famous portrait of William Shakespeare[6] although there is some uncertainty about whether the painting actually is of the playwright.[7]

It has the incredible portraits of amazing people but it also has a (to me) surprising collection of other art that is engaging and interesting. Well worth the visit.

Inspirational. Many inspirational Americans in addition to the Presidents. Listening to Barrack Obama speak brought me to tears. Definitely worth the visit.

Stunning building with even more amazing artwork. A must-see!

Great place to spend a few hours and stimulate the mind!

Obama portraits and the center atrium are highlights. Atrium is a convenient spacious area to bring a lunch. Perfect for being in an airy space that feels outdoors on days with bad weather.

Always something new and something you've seen before. It's free too. Crowds are usually not an issue here versus the museums on the mall. If you are willing to walk a few blocks from the mall, you will be rewarded. I hadn't been here since the roof was added to the interior courtyard, what a great area for a cold December day.

The gallery was very impressive and informative. Loved viewing President Barack and Michelle's portraits. Kehinde Wiley has an amazing vivid portrait of LL Cool J as well

Good selection of art work, food was good but expensive, and it was very crowded. A lot of walking around.

One of my favorite DC museums - this place is just fantastic. Obviously the presidents are a main known feature here but this is not a hall of paintings of old white men (and Obama). Through portaits and art entire swaths of American history and culture are celebrated. Every floor is worth a visit to see familiar and unfamiliar American icons each of whom made an important impact on our country. And the art exhibits are some of the best areas showcasing unique perspectives on taking in aspects of the American landscape and way of life. Catch the Trevor Paglen exhibit while you can

So much to see! And open late. Lovely place to meet with friends and enjoy time in the kogod courtyard.

Outstanding collection of portraits of the movers and shakers in American history.

Better be prepared to make a day of it if you like art

Great place to eat lunch at. Beautiful on the inside (eating area) but it does get crowded around noon so best come early or eat later

World class art, and artists, on display. Should not be missed

A lot of portraits from a wide variety of historical society and data.

There was so many amazing portraits in one place that after 3 hours I had probably only seen 25% of the museum, and it's free.

Loved it!!!! Spent 6 hours here, reviewing wonderful portraits. I just put in my earbuds, played my favorite playlist and enjoyed each and every painting and sculpture. Did you realize we have past presidents that favor some famous actors?

Impressive !!! Of the best museums !!! I loved the civil war zone

The portraits of the American Buffalo exhibit is a must. Truly pays homage to these majestic beasts that used to reign supreme over the continent. Oh and the president's gallery is cool too.

One of my favorite museum's. On part, because it shares it's space with the Museum of American Art and it's proximity to Chinatown. Spent 6-hours there during my last visit and enjoyed every moment. Especially liked viewing the Obama's portraits.

Wonderful staff, who went out of their way to help me experience the museum as much as possible with my limited vision. I was placed in a tour; which was informative and fun!

Always interesting new exhibitions and the permanent exhibits are interesting commentary of our evolving history.

No clue why anyone would call this museum expensive -- admission is free. Sure, the gift shop can be pricey, but all that is optional. And I have found the collection and talks to be both excellent and friendly.

This is one of the most interesting places I have ever been. Plan to spend many hours to really appreciate all the art that this place has to offer. You could easily spend a day here and not be disappointed. This is a MUST stop when you are in Washington. Breathtaking!

Beautiful environment to see portrait art. Loved the various variety and styles--and don't miss the modern art on the third floor

A great place to spend an afternoon. Though much of the art would be better appreciated by adults, there are many exhibits that are good for all ages. Museum does a great job of mixing art and US history, and many of the exhibits are just as fascinating from a historic viewpoint. Hall of presidents is a highlight, but my favorite are the third floor exhibits (mostly due to the incredible setting).

Plenty of rest rooms much needed on a long Washington adventure day.
Great visit plenty to see and an amazing cafe area in the middle.

Nice museum with a good distribution of themes and paintings that allows you to appreciate everything in an organised manner. Liked a lot the exhibitions centered in Afro-American characters and their relationship with the political and social context back at their time.

Some purpose of the visit was to experience history! Loved seeing all the other portraits.

Fantastic place for youngsters and adults enjoy the beauty of Art.
Something from almost each art discipline.

Plenty of places to rest draw at Myer or even eat and have a cup of coffee.

This is one of the third oldest building in Washington DC.

Always something new to see!! Never disappointed when we visit!

I love seeing American art from each period of time. It's beautiful! You can lose track of time going through the time periods. I enjoyed the past President's portraits and seeing their history - this is a fascinating place!

Good variety of art from traditional to modern. Good gift shop, a must visit.

This is a good mix of art and artifacts. It is not very big but can easily take 3 hrs. If you have very limited time, go straight to the President Potrait gallery that has the potrait of every American president. I would also recommend finding the sculpture of the lady eating a sundae which is in the modern wing!

Only saw a few of the exhibits, but well worth a visit. The America's Presidents is a must to visit. The temporary exhibit "Her Story" was also very good.