Visit From Home: National Portrait Gallery Online Exhibitions and New Digital Workshops
A Message from our Director
In this moment, we are continuing to move the National Portrait Gallery experience online. Connect with us on our website’s new "Visit from Home" page and on our social media channels to learn about the people who have shaped — and are continuing to transform — our nation’s history.
Take a virtual field trip to the museum through our online exhibitions, listen to art historians on season two of our PORTRAITS podcast, and grab your colored pencils for art-making workshops on Facebook and Instagram.
For children, tune in weekly to Young Portrait Explorers on Instagram and Story Time on Facebook. Adults are welcome too! And we encourage teachers to explore lessons related to the Portrait Gallery’s collection through the Smithsonian Learning Lab.
We also invite you to screen videos of performances by Dana Tai Soon Burgess, our choreographer-in-residence, and to explore works from IDENTIFY, our performance art series.
Thank you for being part of the Portrait Gallery’s community. And be well!
- Kim Sajet, Director
Podcast
PORTRAITS is back with a brand new season. Join our host, National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet, as she engages historians and thought leaders about the portraits and stories of individuals who have shaped our nation. Episodes will examine the legacy of Harriet Tubman, the life of the humorist and vaudeville actor Will Rogers, and the connections made between President John F. Kennedy and the artist Elaine de Kooning. There will be special episodes on “Social Distancing with Portraiture.” All new episodes for season two premiere bi-weekly on Tuesdays through June. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, PRX, Radio Public, Spotify, Stitcher, and our website.
Digital Workshops
Young Portrait Explorers
Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m.
Instagram @smithsoniannpg
Explore portraits of astronauts and activists, scientists, and star athletes — and discover the stories behind them! Join us every Tuesday on Instagram Stories for a close look at a featured portrait. Then we'll dig deeper with some discussion questions and get moving with fun activities on the day's topic. Download activity guides as PDFs from our Facebook page. For children ages 3 and up and their families.
Story Time
Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m.
Facebook @smithsoniannpg
Immerse yourself in tales of presidents, artists, inventors, athletes, and more! Join a Portrait Gallery educator for Story Time every Wednesday on Facebook. Each week will focus on a different person. Children will learn more about familiar names and faces, and will also meet new people from U.S. history! Select Story Times will be in Spanish. For children ages 3 and up and their families.
Drawn to Figures
Thursdays, 11:00 a.m.
Instagram Stories @smithsoniannpg
Learn tips and tricks for portraying the human body in this digital workshop. Each Thursday on Instagram, artist Jill Galloway will share sketching techniques to help you overcome the challenges of figure drawing. Open to all skill levels, ages 13 and up.
Open Studios
Fridays, 11:00 a.m.
Facebook @smithsoniannpg
Join artist Jill Galloway on Facebook for Open Studio sessions each Friday. Discover your inner artist! Create an original artwork inspired by the Portrait Gallery’s collection while exploring a different technique or tool each week. Open to all skill levels.
Smithsonian Learning Lab
The National Portrait Gallery is meeting teachers and students where they are! Check out more than 125 Learning Lab collections created by Portrait Gallery educators and classroom teachers. The Learning Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources, creating content with online tools, and sharing in the Smithsonian's expansive community of knowledge and learning.
Where Portraiture Meets Performance
Choreographer-in-Residence Dana Tai Soon Burgess
View excerpts of stunning performances inspired by the National Portrait Gallery's exhibitions. Find select pieces by Dana Tai Soon Burgess, the Smithsonian's first choreographer-in-residence, on our YouTube channel.
IDENTIFY
Expand your horizons with videos of works commissioned for IDENTIFY, the Portrait Gallery’s performance art series. Now in its sixth year, IDENTIFY has highlighted artists such as Jeffrey Gibson, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Martha McDonald, Lee Mingwei, and Wanda Raimundi Ortiz. See select performances on our new "Visit from Home" page.
Online Exhibitions & Virtual Tours
Portrait Gallery Exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture
Enjoy nine online adaptations of National Portrait Gallery exhibitions and collection highlights through our collaboration with Google Arts & Culture.
The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today
Who's your favorite? Explore "The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today" on the Portrait Gallery’s dedicated Outwin website or through the museum’s page on Google Arts & Culture.Cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. Vote now through April 24!
Audio Descriptions of America's Presidents
Encounter the Portrait Gallery's signature exhibition from a new perspective! Our detailed audio descriptions of select presidential portraits are geared toward those who are blind or have low vision, but anyone can enjoy them! Available on our website and on SmARTify. This free and easy-to-use app allows you to explore more than 1,000 artworks from the Portrait Gallery’s collection.
ASL Exhibition Tours
Enjoy ASL tours of select exhibitions, including "The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today," which features works by contemporary artists that challenge the definition of portraiture. Our ASL tour of "One Life: Marian Anderson" explores the life and legacy of the acclaimed vocalist and symbol of the civil rights movement. Check them out on the Portrait Gallery's YouTube channel.