National Portrait Gallery USA

🙋 Officially volunteering to be your third space this spring season. The National Portrait Gallery has got you covered with movie nights, morning resets, and screen-free evenings. Oh, and did we mention… they’re all free? 🥳 Just make sure you save your spot on Eventbrite (link in bio). Details below: Analog Nights 🌙 - April 21, May 26, & June 16 - Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Bring a hobby, game, or craft. You can also check out our spotlight activity (all materials provided), which changes every month. P.S. - Please keep your scissors at home, we’ll provide them. Reading Parties with @readingrhythms_dc 📚 - April 30, May 28, June 25 - Thursdays from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Bring a book and join us in the Great Hall on the third floor of the museum for social reading. Registration is required. Movie Matinees 🎬 - April 18 & May 16 - Saturdays starting at 2 p.m. - Join us as we screen the classics inspired by the “Star Power” exhibition. Registration is required. Wellness Wednesdays with @inner_stillness_with_aparna 🌿 - April 1, April 15, May 6, May 20, June 3, June 17 - Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. - Give yourself a mid-week reset with this morning program centered around relaxation and calm. Get ready to start the day, whenever you’re going. Registration is required. #ThingsToDoInDC #ThirdSpace #myNPG #DCMuseums

Looks like a few presidents snuck out of their frames… 👀 The @nationals Racing Presidents stopped by our @smithsoniannpg before their #OpeningDay game tomorrow. If you’ve been to the Portrait Gallery’s “America’s Presidents,” these four will be familiar faces: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt.

Elsslermania took audiences by storm during the 1840s! Fanny Elssler was a child prodigy turned prima ballerina. After wide success across Europe, the Austrian ballerina turned her sights to the United States. She was met with huge applause in every city she toured at. Audiences were reported to find her endearing and sweet. To fill the seats for her shows, she used these hand-painted lithograph posters. Would they make you buy a ticket? (Image Credits) 1. “Fanny Elssler” by Napoleon Sarony, c. 1840. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Monroe H. Fabian 2. “Fanny Elssler” by Thomas Sinclair Lithography Company, c. 1840. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. 3. “La Cracovienne” by Eliphalet M. Brown, Jr., 1840. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution 4. “La Bayadère” by Alfred Edward Chalon, 1830. “Complete Book of Ballets” by Cyril W. Beaumont. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. New York, 1938. Courtesy of wikimedia 5. “Martin Van Buren” by Charles Fenderich, lithograph by Peter S. Duval, 1839. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the Library of Congress 6. “The Presidents House” by P. Hass, 1840. Courtesy of the @whitehousehistory

A special moment with artist Kate Capshaw seeing her work on view for the first time at the National Portrait Gallery during the opening last fall. We are excited to announce that the #PortraitOfaNation exhibition is extending through October 17, 2027.  Titled “The Picture Maker,” Capshaw’s portrait of Steven Spielberg combines painting and a projected film made of new material and archival clips from Spielberg’s early unreleased work. Capshaw wrote of the filmmaker that “…we’ve been looking through his eyes for decades… I wanted to capture what I believe is behind the gaze.” Visit this portrait alongside three other artworks of the #PortraitOfaNation honorees:  1. Steven Spielberg by Kate Capshaw  2. Temple Grandin by David Lenz  3. Joy Harjo by Joel Daniel Phillips 4. Jamie Dimon by Jason Alden Go to our link in bio to plan your visit!  🖼️: “The Picture Maker” by Kate Capshaw, oil on linen and single-channel video projection, 2025. Commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; on loan courtesy of the artist. © Kate Capshaw @kcthestudio

Duke Kahanamoku brought surfing to the world, transforming the Hawaiian pastime into an internationally competitive sport.⁣⁣⁣ 🌊🏄🏽‍♂️ The press described him as a “human fish” because he was also arguably the best swimmer of his era. He won two Olympic gold medals for swimming, in 1912 and 1920. He also introduced the flutter kick to the sport. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Kahanamoku toured the world giving swimming and surfing exhibitions, leaving crowds in awe of his board skills. During his travels, he would often carve boards and leave them for the surfers in other countries. This way, they could copy the boards and sustain his surfing legacy. This redwood surfboard from 1928 is one of the many surfboards that Kahanamoku worked on and shaped. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ An easygoing, modest man, he later served thirteen consecutive terms as sheriff of Honolulu and became a revered icon during a transitional period in Hawaiian history. Synonymous with the word ‘surfing,’ he is remembered as the sport’s first and most celebrated ambassador. #SmithsonianAANHPI⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ (Image Credits)⁣⁣⁣ 1. “Duke Kahanamoku” by an unidentified artist, c. 1915. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution⁣⁣⁣ 2. “Surfboard shaped by Duke Kahanamoku on the beach at Corona Del Mar, California in 1928.” Courtesy of @amhistorymuseum . Gift from Sharon Ann Marshall in memory of William Michael “Mike” Marshall.

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” Happy birthday Katharine Hepburn! 🎂✨ She was born #OnThisDay in Hartford, Connecticut. ⁣ ⁣ This painting was Hepburn’s favorite portrait of herself. Her friend, Everett Raymond Kinstler, painted this portrait of her in 1982 and donated it to the National Portrait Gallery after her passing in 2003. ⁣ ⁣ For over fifty years, actress Katharine Hepburn shaped Hollywood with performances that won her four Best Actress Oscars. She sported a stylized personality and headstrong independence that made waves in Hollywood.⁣ You can visit this portrait on the third floor of the museum! 🏛️ ⭐ ⁣ ⁣ 🖼️: “Katharine Hepburn” by Everett Raymond Kinstler.National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Everett Raymond Kinstler

Poet and musician Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, became the first Native American United States Poet Laureate in 2019. Today is her 75th birthday! Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harjo studied drawing before finding her passion for poetry during her time at the University of New Mexico. “I met Native poets who were writing about our lives,” she explained. “That shifted it for me.” Since then, Harjo has published 11 books of poetry, three children’s books, and two memoirs. Performing with her saxophone and flutes, Harjo has also had a celebrated career in music. Last month, she released her latest album “Insomnia and Seven Steps to Grace” with our @SmithsonianFolkways . Showcasing her bold and direct voice, the record moves fluidly through jazz, poetry, rock, and Native musical traditions. Swipe to hear a clip of the song “Stomp All Night” and see the album’s cover art, which features Harjo’s first original painting in years. Recently, our @SmithsonianNPG acquired a life-size portrait of Harjo, pictured above, by artist Joel Daniel Phillips as part of the museum’s 2025 Portrait of a Nation Awards. See this work on paper currently on view at the museum. Doomscrolling this Saturday morning? We’ll leave you with the opening lines from Harjo’s 2015 poem “For Calling the Spirit Back from Wandering the Earth in Its Human Feet.” “Put down that bag of potato chips, that white bread, that bottle of pop. Turn off that cellphone, computer, and remote control. Open the door, then close it behind you. Take a breath offered by friendly winds. They travel the earth gathering essences of plants to clean. Give it back with gratitude.” Learn more about Harjo’s journey as an artist with our @SmithsonianNMAI ’s American Indian Magazine (link in bio). 📷: “Joy Harjo” by Joel Daniel Phillips, 2022. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution © Joel Daniel Phillips 🎶: @SmithsonianFolkways album design by Caroline Gut

This Friday, May 8, join us after hours for a night at the museum that is for teens and by teens. 🎭 Masque at the Museum is brought to you by the Teen Museum Council. Find out your fate with a tarot card reading, get a custom portrait or poem, and finish the night dancing with live music from @theplastictoys This event is free but save your spot using the link in our bio. Dress your best and don’t forget your disguise. We’ll see you there. 🏛️✨ The Details: 🎟️ FREE with high school student ID 📍 National Portrait Gallery 🎩 Dress-code: think prom (+ a mask) 🕰️ May 8, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Venus Williams continues to serve. Last night, Williams made art come to life on the red carpet with her reference to this commissioned portrait from our collection by Robert Pruitt, called “Venus Williams, Double Portrait.”   The star of the show—the necklace! Styled after the Wimbledon plate, the necklace references the legacy of other groundbreakers in her sport. It also reflects her accomplishment and advocacy. Williams successfully led the tournament to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts.   This portrait was created for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection as part of the 2022 #PortraitOfaNation Awards. #VenusWilliams    🖼: “Venus Williams, Double Portrait” (detail) by Robert Pruitt, conté crayon, charcoal, pastel, and coffee wash paper, 2022. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Acquired in part through the generosity of Mark D. Ein. © 2022 Robert Pruitt @venuswilliams @robertpruitt   📸: Venus Williams attends the 2026 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue.

Whether playing a princess or a bookstore clerk, Audrey Hepburn always epitomized elegance and grace. ⁣⁣In her films, she insisted on playing central characters at a time when the industry often cast women as the love interests of male leads. These photographs were taken for the cover of @LIFE magazine in 1955. Photographer Philippe Halsman captured portraits of the star while she was in Rome, staying at an Italian farm during the filming of “War and Peace” (1956). The magazine described the pink farmhouse as “an idyl for Audrey.” Hepburn, with her roles like Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961), became a trendsetting icon for a new generation of American women. Later in life, she dedicated herself to humanitarian work with children around the globe. For her efforts, she received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992. ⁣⁣ 🎂 Happy birthday, Audrey Hepburn! She was born #OnThisDay in 1929.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣ (Image Credits) 1. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. © Philippe Halsman Archive 2. LIFE magazine’s July 18, 1955 cover. 3. Courtesy of the Philippe Halsman Archive (@philippe_halsman_official ) © Philippe Halsman Archive

For teens, by teens 🎭 Next Friday, May 8, join us for a Masquerade at the National Portrait Gallery. This after-hours event is brought to you by the Teen Museum Council. Find out your fate with a tarot card reading, get a custom portrait or poem, and finish the night dancing with live music from The Plastic Toys. This event is free but save your spot using the link in our bio. Dress your best and bring a mask. We’ll see you there. 🏛️✨ The Details: 🎟️ FREE with high school student ID 📍 National Portrait Gallery 🎩 Dress-code: think prom (+ a mask) 🕰️ May 8, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Me waiting to get my picture with baby Linh Mai at the @smithsonianzoo  😍🐘   In case you missed it, this is the first weekend to meet the Zoo’s cutest and newest addition, Asian elephant calf Linh Mai. To celebrate, we’re sharing this portrait of poet Marianne Moore. A key figure in the Modernist movement of the 1960s, she often included animals in her work. This photo of her by Esther Bubley was taken while she was visiting a different zoo, the @bronxzoo in the spring of 1953.   📸: “Marianne Moore” by Esther Bubley, 1953. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. © Esther Bubley