The National Portrait Gallery

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• Learn more about American history, art history, biographies, fine art, museum education, photography, and visual learners.

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“The concept of an American national portrait gallery is as old as our republic. During the Revolutionary War, Charles Willson Peale took upon himself the mission of creating a gallery to portray the great men of his era. The first official gesture toward assembling a national portrait collection was made in 1857, when Congress commissioned George Peter Alexander Healy to paint a series of presidential portraits for the White House; however, it was not until about a century later that the National Portrait Gallery was finally established.”

“Generations of remarkable Americans are kept in the company of their fellow citizens at the National Portrait Gallery. The Gallery presents the wonderful diversity of individuals who have left—and are leaving—their mark on our country and our culture. Through the visual and performing arts, we celebrate leaders such as George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., artists such as Mary Cassatt and George Gershwin, activists such as Sequoyah and Rosa Parks, and icons of pop culture such as Babe Ruth and Marilyn Monroe. They all link us to our past, our present, and our future. For anyone fascinated by famous Americans and their stories, the National Portrait Gallery is a must–visit destination

At the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery website, you explore online version of exhibits featuring: Ernest Hemingway, Benjamin Franklin, Marilyn Monroe, George and Martha Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Louis Armstrong. The exhibits also address a variety of themes such as breaking racial barriers, the Age of Jazz, and more.

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A virtual tour will allow users to navigate through the National Portrait Gallery’s, Hall of Presidents. Visitors may select specific portraits for more information and larger images. Portraits can also be selected from the chronological list featured on the right side of the screen.Read portrait stories about famous Americans such as Frido Kahlo, Duke Ellington, and Amelia Earhart. Find collections of portraits highlighting and depicting both colonial America and the American Revolution with contextual information. Also find Portraits of Character, a newspaper feature in partnership with the Washington Times, which includes a portrait from the permanent collection and a related story about the sitter.