National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum
Twin Smithsonian art museums sharing a historic building with a glass-roofed courtyard — free.
The call
Worth it if you're watching the budget and you only have one day.
Short answer
Is National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum worth it?
National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
Home to the presidential portraits (including the famous Obama paintings) and a serene glass-canopied courtyard that's one of the best free places to just sit in DC.
- 02
The catch: it's a bit off the Mall in Penn Quarter, so footsore tourists often run out of time before reaching it.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're watching the budget
National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum.
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum is an easy yes.
Think twice if
You're traveling with kids
With kids, National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum needs the right timing and tolerance.
You want the trip to feel easy
National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum offers some relaxation, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
Plan it well
- Cost
- Free
- Timing
- Afternoon, with a coffee break in the Kogod Courtyard
- Allow
- 1.5–2 hrs
- Accessibility
- Fully accessible with elevators
- Getting there
- Gallery Place-Chinatown station, directly above the museum