Visitors to the nation´s capital can spend hours upon hours on the National Mall hopping between free museums until their legs are too sore to go on. But one museum not to be missed is located a few blocks north in D.C.´s Chinatown. The National Portrait Gallery is a lot more fun than it sounds like. Sure, the walls are covered in famous portraits of the founding fathers, America´s favorite sports stars and history´s most monumental activists. But the free museum, which is also part of the Smithsonian Institution, is home to four floors of rotating art exhibits including a modern art wing and a section devoted to the history of entertainment.
Recent exhibitions on display for a limited time include a section dedicated to the late Muhammad Ali, historic covers of Time Magazine featuring some of the greatest movie stars of all time and a portrait of actor Kevin Spacey as President Francis J. Underwood from the Netflix show House of Cards. The constantly changing exhibitions ensure guests will be surprised with something new as they visit the gallery throughout the year.
The center of the museum opens up to a naturally lit atrium where fountains, a café and a few seats allow visitors to rest in a peaceful environment, sometimes accompanied by soft live music.
The National Portrait Gallery is sandwiched between 7th Street and 9th Street Northwest, and F and G Streets Northwest, and is open daily from 11:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Admission is free for all visitors.
National Portrait Gallery
8th St. NW & f St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
202 633 8300
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