Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery & Art Museum - Semi Private

What your day looks like

Housed in the historic Old Patent Office Building, art and history mingle together at two of DC’s most important galleries. This 2.5-hour semi-private tour explores the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum where up to ten guests can witness the nation’s history unfolding. The building itself is a marvel, once a Civil War Era hospital where famed poet Walt Whitman helped injured soldiers. Today, his portrait joins thousands of others in this building, which has flirted with art exhibits since 1829, before becoming a dedicated museum. The National Portrait Gallery features portraits of the great women and men who helped build the United States. Presidents and first ladies are on display, as well as famous military leaders of the Civil War, like Grant and Sherman. Discover 19th-century daguerreotypes, early photographs, before exploring the Robber Barons and Suffragettes of the early 20th century. Afterward, move on to the American Art Museum where artists like Mary Cassatt, a beloved Impressionist, are on display. You’ll explore big names like Edward Hopper and David Hockney in front of some of their iconic paintings. Georgia O’Keeffe’s provocative flowers will spark conversations as much as the slightly odd portrait of former President Obama. Learn about the WPA-era photographs that helped define a nation during the Great Depression, as well as more modern works that will leave you scratching your head, until your expert guide helps bring it all into focus.