National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC: Hours, Address, National Portrait Gallery Reviews: 4.5/5
National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
4.5
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Visitors can view the portraits of all the U.S. presidents.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown / Chinatown
How to get there
- Gallery Place • 2 min walk
- Archives • 6 min walk
Best nearby
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Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
3,528 reviews
Excellent
2,628
Very good
771
Average
118
Poor
10
Terrible
1
Lynn S
League City, TX563 contributions
Jun 2022
This was a very nice, smaller musuem. You can easily do it in an hour or two. It is connected to another museum, the Museum of American Art. We did not do that museum as it was later in the day and we were already tired and ready to call it a day. There are lots of portraits of famous people but the particular part I enjoyed the most was the gallery of all the Presidents (except current President Biden, I think they said it takes up to two years to get someone added). There were several portraits of many of the presidents. The museum was well arranged. It is definitely a must see.
Written 9 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Emily M
United States1,024 contributions
Mar 2022
The National Portrait Gallery is a nice art museum. Plenty to see and not to crowded. Co-located with the American Art Museum, with a beautiful atrium in the center. Good for art, special exhibits, and learning about history through art.
Written 30 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Madeleine L
Boston, MA63 contributions
May 2022
Lovely museum with a lot to see. Not just the Presidential portraits. And not as crowded as some of the other museums.
Written 9 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chris D
Athens, GA45 contributions
Apr 2022
A wonderful gallery to visit in DC. Most probably visit for the Presidential portraits, which are amazing to see, but there are so many more interesting exhibits within the gallery.
This is also a less crowded option if you want to take a break from the many bus loads of visitors at the more popular locations.
The gallery is off of the Mall, near Chinatown, providing for some great food and drink options nearby when you get done.
This is also a less crowded option if you want to take a break from the many bus loads of visitors at the more popular locations.
The gallery is off of the Mall, near Chinatown, providing for some great food and drink options nearby when you get done.
Written 2 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
TravelerWithOpinions
Boston, MA427 contributions
May 2022
The portraits of the presidents were fascinating, enhanced by the explanations with background, context and nuance. Before we visited, I hadn't realized how much more the National Portrait Gallery had to offer, in terms of art and sculpture as well as the co-located Smithsonian American Art Museum and the beautiful, peaceful weather-protected atrium.
Written 2 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cheryl S
12 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
I love this place. Great Presidential hall. I don’t think that the Hope poster of Obama does his presidency justice. It takes away fro the gravitas of the office. I felt the same way about Clinton. Please consider more digniyapproaches.
Written 27 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
richard sargent
35 contributions
Apr 2022
Hard to believe that someone can capture the image of someone like this. Some of the paintings are so real looking
Written 19 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ2,650 contributions
Apr 2022
I had come to the National Portrait Gallery to see the "Watergate Exhibition" and I was impressed on how they mounted and explained what happened. It was an eye opener considering I had lived through it as a kid and never really knew what the situation was and how it affected the whole country.
What was more impressive is how the press made a mockery of the whole situation and the players who were eventually found guilty were portrayed by the press. I liked the Time Magazine cover where everyone was pointing at everyone else. That I remembered as a kid. The exhibit was short and sweet and right to the point of what happened.
After that I went to visit the Hall of Presidents and saw all the portraits. It is funny but I think most of the people who visit this gallery don't know who most of them were or what they contributed.
It is worth the time to especially see these.
What was more impressive is how the press made a mockery of the whole situation and the players who were eventually found guilty were portrayed by the press. I liked the Time Magazine cover where everyone was pointing at everyone else. That I remembered as a kid. The exhibit was short and sweet and right to the point of what happened.
After that I went to visit the Hall of Presidents and saw all the portraits. It is funny but I think most of the people who visit this gallery don't know who most of them were or what they contributed.
It is worth the time to especially see these.
Written 17 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Elizabeth S
Michigan City, IN1,362 contributions
Apr 2022
What a fantastic collection of art! It was wonderful to see all the portraits of the presidents. The large courtyard in the middle was stunning, we were there when it was raining, I can't imagine the beauty on a sunny day! Glad we spent a couple of hours here!
Written 16 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MN415
6 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
Really enjoyed this museum. Probably the best one I visited while in DC. The paintings are well curated and organized. I enjoyed how they had brief notes that gave context on the paintings.
The Presidential Portraits are very interesting. Both the portraits and the notes on each President.
Unfortunately the Obama portraits aren’t there right now but even without them it was well worth going to.
The Presidential Portraits are very interesting. Both the portraits and the notes on each President.
Unfortunately the Obama portraits aren’t there right now but even without them it was well worth going to.
Written 12 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Approximately how long does it take to walk through?
IntrepidGin
Saint Charles, IL77 contributions
Take a look at the website and determine what you absolutely don’t want to miss. If you arrive a little before the museum opens, yo should not have an isssue with crowds. The presidential portrait exhibit is excellent. Be sure to visit the room where Michelle Obama’s portrait is located!
Marisie007
Washington DC, DC18 contributions
Are there still long wait lines to enter?
RustonTraveller
Bossier City, LA295 contributions
No wait to enter. I’ve seen a 10-15 minute wait to stand in front of President Obama’s portrait (Weekend), Mrs Obama’s portrait was just crowded.
vanemburghsusie
Ridgewood, NJ
Are wheelchairs available at this site?
Robert P
Kentucky153 contributions
I do not believe so
vanemburghsusie
Ridgewood, NJ
Are there wheelchairs available to rent?
Gooner10-8
Dublin, Ireland1,944 contributions
Hi there :
You should take a look at the National Portrait Gallery's own website.
You'll find quite a lot of helpful information under the VISIT - ACCESSIBILITY section, including the following : "For your comfort, wheelchairs can be borrowed by asking the security officer stationed at each museum entrance".
[It might also be a good idea to "double-check" wheelchair availability with the museum in advance of your intended visit, using the Phone and/or Email details on their website]
Enjoy your visit to this wonderful museum!
How long did it take you?
Greg M
Chicago, IL42 contributions
I went on a Monday, not a Saturday or Sunday. I walked right in, upstairs to see Michelle Obama on the 3rd floor, then down to the 2nd floor to see her husband. Easy breezy.
MJ1222
Chestnut Hill, MA83 contributions
How far is the National Portrait Gallery from the Convention Center? Is it walkable from hotel/center to the gallery? (Coming to DC in a few weeks for a conference and would love to slip away to visit the Gallery.) Thank you!
yowsah1
Lansing, MI538 contributions
As mentioned above the fastest way to get there would be to take the Metro, otherwise it's a fairly short (10 minutes or so) walk.
Do you need tickets in advance?
Frederic S
16 contributions
No, you can simply walk in. If you visit during the week it is fairly quiet and even on weekends, it doesn't feel that busy (it is so vast that you don't notice the crowds!). There is no charge, unless there is a specific exhibition. I recommend half a day at least to see it all or simply go back the following day for a couple of hours. Do not miss the presidential portrait gallery and the contemporary American artists on the top floor. Enjoy!
darkfalcon500
Fresno, CA30 contributions
Is the famous George Washington portrait on display right now? The website claims it has been off display since February of last year and will be till fall this year
Josie1952
Lexington, KY USA30 contributions
It’s available now but earlier the Gallery was under construction.
darkfalcon500
Fresno, CA30 contributions
Is the famous George Washington portrait on display right now? The website claims it has been off display since February of last year and will be till fall this year
atlantaru17
Atlanta, GA15 contributions
No I did not see it at all.
Frequently Asked Questions about National Portrait Gallery
- National Portrait Gallery is open:
- Sun - Sat 11:30 AM - 7:00 PM
- We recommend booking National Portrait Gallery tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 6 National Portrait Gallery tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience National Portrait Gallery:
- Smithsonian Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum Guided Tour - Private Tour (From HK$740.57)
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- 3-Hour Private SUV Sightseeing Tour of Washington DC (From HK$4,309.63)
- Washington D.C Self-Guided Audio Tour (From HK$39.25)
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- (0.10 km) Riggs Washington DC
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- Restaurants near National Portrait Gallery:
- (0.05 km) Olivia
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- (0.14 km) Pi Pizzeria
- (0.08 km) Ella's Wood-Fired Pizza
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