Fun With Kids In The National Portrait Gallery And Smithsonian American Art Museum

If you are looking for a way to get the kids into an art museum in DC with minimal whining, crowds, and maybe even have some fun, and have it only take an hour or so, this blog is for you. This 2 for 1 museum in a beautiful historic building is free, easy to get to, and has a great collection of American art that the kids can relate to more than most art museums. At least they should recognize some of the presidents, right?

I really like art museums. I love to wander around and look at colorful things. I like to wonder why somebody took the time to paint something and what they were trying to say. I like the quiet, too.

The kids like none of these aspects-- they don’t particularly care why someone decided to paint something and why someone else thought it should go in a boring museum. They certainly don’t appreciate the quiet.

So Why Do The Kids Like The National Portrait Gallery And Smithsonian American Art Museum?

They know some of these people. And we make it a game.

For some reason, pictures of people seem more relatable to my kids than landscapes, or heaven forbid, pictures of fruit. Portraits of American presidents? Mildly interesting and at least they know most of the names. Portraits of people they have actually heard of, like George Lucas or LL Cool J? Now you are talking.

To add to the fun, we make it a scavenger hunt as well- as in find the pictures of these people and I will give you a prize. More on that below.

Why Do I Like These Museums?

They are less crowded than some of the other attractions in DC. That is always huge with me. Nothing ruins a museum visit more than shuffling along in a sea of people.

Plus, this museum doesn’t feel overwhelming, physically and subjectively. The building is big but not nearly as large as some of the other Smithsonians and the layout is a simple square on each floor, making it hard to get super lost.

The clear theme of the subject matter-- American history and culture-- also helps to make it feel all connected and manageable. And manageability is something I am always looking for in planning a trip with kiddos!

What is the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum?

The name is such a mouthful because it is actually 2 museums in one building. It is often abbreviated as the “SAAM and NPG” although I am not sure that actually rolls off the tongue any better. Most people I have heard just refer to it as the National Portrait Gallery (sorry SAAM).

The museums have separate staff and collections and even separate websites- Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. They are both a part of the Smithsonian, even though only one has that in its name (it’s all very confusing).

The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s (SAAM) purpose is to “celebrate[s] the extraordinary creativity of artists whose works reflect the American experience and global connections” whereas the National Portrait Gallery’s mission is to “tell the story of America by portraying the people who shape the nation’s history, development and culture.” (Quotes are from each of their respective websites.)

So the two museums both aim to tell a story about America, just using two different ways of doing it-- either through art about America or by portraits of people important to America.

Once inside the building, it all seemed intertwined to me and you don’t really notice a separation between the two museums, just a different focus as you go from one gallery or exhibit to another.

You can see what I mean on the map of the museum- red and orange galleries are SAAM and blue and purple galleries are NPG and they aren’t separated into 2 separate halves of the building. I like the setup because it keeps it interesting. You can go from portraits to landscapes to modern art to presidents and so on. But it is still all about America so you feel a universal theme.

The building itself is a gorgeous Greek Revival structure that is a National Historic Landmark begun in 1836. Abraham Lincoln celebrated his inaugural here. You could pop in just to admire the building if you are an architecture buff and it would be worth it. You can read about the building’s history on the website.

An Art Museum Scavenger Hunt

How It Works

Make a list of 5-10 (or 20 if you are feeling mean) people and/or artworks the kids have to find.

For example- “Find me these 5 presidents and send me a selfie with a caption that includes 1 notable thing they did in office.” *Obviously this would be for older kids with cell phones.

Completed hunts earn a dessert from the Couryard Cafe in the museum or whatever your prize of choice is. (I have used straight cash incentives before. Works great and then they have their own money for souvenirs.)

You can add a couple of 20th century Americans to the list, or an American athlete from the Champions exhibit, or some non-portrait art from the Smithsonian American Art Museum galleries. Have them look for Pocahontas or Thomas Edison in the first floor American Origins galleries or PT Barnum in the 3rd floor Bravo! exhibit. Or find a Winslow Homer painting and have them tell you why he was an important American painter.

You might have to do a little research on the current exhibits for NPG and current exhibits for SAAM pages ahead of time to make your scavenger hunt list but it didn’t take me long to do it. You can even put in key words like your state under the NPG’s portrait search function and find ideas that way. I have had a Tennessee theme before and the kids liked finding people from their state. *Just make sure to check the box for “On current display” when searching.

Young Kids Scavenger Hunt Ideas

For younger kids that can’t wander on their own, I give points for how many portraits they can identify without help or small hints. Usually George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are pretty easy as well as some of the athletes.

Why I Like The Scavenger Hunt

Because it gives the kids something to do while exploring the museum on their own while ensuring regular check-ins with me with their selfies. It also gives me a little time to wander around on my own sans whining about the boring stuff that I like to look at.

*True Story- I brought my Scottish teenaged relative here once despite the fact that he was less than enthused about touring an art museum and even less about one full of American portraits. I promised him a dollar for every person he could identify without reading the caption to make it more fun. This came back to bite me when we turned a corner and saw that the museum had a temporary exhibit on the British royal family. I was out some serious cash but he had a blast.

Click on images below to enlarge

Adolp Ochs was the newspaperman who turned the New York Times into the “Paper Of Record.” He learned the newspaper business in Knoxville, TN, our hometown, so he was on our TN themed scavenger hunt.

Wilma Rudolph won 3 gold medals at one Olympics, the first American woman to do that, despite having polio as a child and suffering from leg paralysis. She was born in Tennessee and attended Tennessee State University, so she was also on our TN themed scavenger hunt.

One More Reason To Visit- Less Crowds!

These 2 museums seem to be skipped by the majority of tourists so they are far less crowded than the National Gallery of Art or basically any of the attractions on the Mall. Maybe because the building is in the Penn Quarter, about a 15 min walk from the Mall, or maybe the “National Portrait Gallery” just sounds boring.

This isn’t to say that these museums are devoid of tourists or that you won’t ever find busy days, especially in summer, but just that in general, I find them to be much less crowded than your average DC attraction.

The most popular section is the America’s Presidents gallery. Many people come just to walk through that and kinda skip the rest of the place. Which is a shame because I think the rest of the place, such as the Contemporary and Modern Art wing, is worth seeing too.

The kids actually spend quite a bit of time in the Contemporary Art wing, more than I would have thought. Maybe because so many of the pieces had multimedia components including video, sound, or lighting that appeals to this thoroughly digital generation.

The Details

Hours And Cost

• Both museums are FREE, like so much else in this city. (I guess you can consider your taxes as a form of entrance fee.)

• The museums are open everyday 1130am-7pm (closed on Christmas).

How Long Does It Take

• If you just go see the America’s Presidents exhibit, you could be in and out of there in 30 minutes.

• If I go thru every gallery on every floor and don’t have kids with me, maybe 2-2.5 hours.

• With kids in tow and doing the scavenger hunt, we last about 1-1.5 hours in the museum and then another 30 minutes in the cafe getting coffee and dessert.

Getting There

Metro

Probably the easiest way there is a Metro stop on the corner, Gallery Place- Chinatown. The Green, Yellow, and Red lines all come thru here.

Metro cards are necessary to ride and can be bought in almost all stations at the vending machines with cash or credit card. You buy the card for $2 and then load an amount onto it. Every person needs a card- no sharing.

You have to tap the cards when you enter and exit the stations and an amount based on the distance you traveled is automatically deducted from the card. The transit cops in the stations are usually pretty nice and will help tourists figure it out.

Car

The central location also means that Uber and Lyft car are good options, but I would not try to drive and park your own car as there is next to no chance of finding street parking and garage prices are cringe-inducing.

Bike/Scooter/Walk

Bike share and scooter share are also very common in DC and your Uber/ Lyft app will often list the nearest docking stations. This is a busy area though and I would be hesitant to take kids on city streets, especially as the bikes/scooters don’t come with helmets.

You can walk to the museum from the National Mall or the White House pretty easily and it only takes about 15 minutes. This is a safe area of DC and quite busy with tourists and government workers so no worries about walking here. Just take your normal big city precautions- i.e. keep an eye on your bag and wallet.

Where To Eat

Kogod Courtyard and the Courtyard Cafe Is My #1 choice

My favorite (although not the cheapest) is to get something from the Courtyard Cafe at the museum. The cafe is fine, pretty standard museum cafe food, but the Kogod Courtyard is gorgeous and worth hanging out in for awhile.

The courtyard has a super cool undulating steel and glass roof (designed by Foster + Partners for all you architecture buffs). It is a popular place for locals to meet for coffee or bring their own lunch, which you can do. The cafe is open 1130-4pm Wed- Sun and has sandwiches, soups, salads, and a fancy cheese plate for prices you would expect from a museum cafe. I just got a coffee and a pastry while the kids cashed in their scavenger hunt points for pastries and desserts. Free WiFi too.

Outside the Museum

If you are ready to leave the museum for more hearty fare or lower prices than the cafe, you will find approximately a million places in the vicinity. There is a Shake Shack across the street or walk over to Chinatown for noodle bars and sushi places. At least take a fun picture by the Chinese Friendship Arch if you don’t eat there. (See above map of the museums’ location where Chinatown is in relation.)

Where To Stay In DC

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My Two Cents On What Area To Stay In

DC has a reputation for being unsafe and although I do not find it much different than any big city in the US, there are certain areas that are more tourist friendly than others. Generally speaking with 0.5-1 mile of the National Mall is a good rule of thumb.

Capitol Hill is my favorite (the area east of the Capitol building going about 10 blocks east and about 10 blocks north/south). Foggy Bottom around George Washington University is another good area with a lot going on and is pretty safe. Georgetown is good as well although it can be pricey.

The H street corridor just east of Union Station is a revamped area with good restaurants and a handy free streetcar running up and down. It is a little cheaper than many areas of DC. The Wharf near Jefferson Memorial is a new redevelopment spurring a lot of growth in that area. Good restaurants, lots of shops, and a couple of hotels there with a nice waterfront view.

You can also look across the Potomac River to Virginia for cheaper accommodations in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Arlington. It is an easy Metro ride to the main tourist sites (5 stops to the National Mall from Rosslyn, 3 from Crystal City) and these suburbs are often about half the price of hotels in the district. Plus, since the hotels here tend to serve mostly business travelers, weekend rates are even better.

Hotels

In DC

Staying near the Capitol is an expensive option, although it does keep you closer to the action. Good luck finding a room for a family of 4 under $400 a night in a name-brand hotel.

If you are up for a splurge though, there are several gorgeous historic hotels, such as the Intercontinental Willard, that are worth the money if you have it. (The lobby makes you ogle and also makes you wish you were a fancy enough person that didn’t do such uncouth things as ogle.) This 200 year old hotel is conveniently located near the White House and lives up to its 5 star billing. If you are in DC near Christmas time, stop in to check out its beautiful holiday decorations.

In Virginia

Try the Hampton Inn and Suites Arlington Crystal City DCA for good sized rooms, free breakfast, and free airport shuttle to Reagan which is so close, you could almost walk to it. The hotel is also in close proximity to “Restaurant Row” on 23rd Street south and there are even more choices around the corner from the row on Crystal Drive.

Booking.com map for Crystal City

Vacation Rentals

If you want more room, try an apartment rental. Walking around all day looking at museums or even just exploring the Mall can be super tiring and it is really nice to be able to come back somewhere with a little more space than your typical hotel room. Plus, the ability to make dinner or breakfast at a vacation rental can save you some big bucks.

Many of the picturesque row houses found in DC have garden apartments or “English basements” (no idea where the name came from). These are partially below ground apartments on the ground floor of these row houses with their own entrances and are frequently rented out to Capitol Hill interns and as short- term rentals. They are often 1 BD/ 1 Ba but depending on how much money the homeowner has put into them, they can be quite nice. These places are often the best deals going for lodging if you don’t need a massive amount of room.

Fantastic historic English Basement Apt- Prime Capitol Hill Location! is a 2 BR/ 1 Ba basement apt in a row house with a separate, gated entrance, a washer/ dryer, and even a little garden in the back. Location is A+ as it is 3 blocks away from the Capitol. Good reviews and averages $220 a night.

Beautiful 2 Bedroom Unit is a gorgeous recently renovated 2 BR/ 2.5 BA row house in the Capitol Hill area with lots of space if you are looking for a home away from home while in DC. A little more expensive but looks like you are getting a lot of bang for the buck and the location is great. *Must have prior positive reviews on VRBO. Averages $375 a night and has glowing reviews.

Modern & Central to GWU, Natl Mall, Georgetown, Free Pvt Parking & EV Charging is a wonderful 3 BR/ 3 BA recently renovated townhome in Foggy Bottom with plenty of room for the whole family. Free parking is a definite perk in the city, let alone with a free charger, awesome if you have a Tesla (I am officially jealous). 5 star reviews and averages $478 a night.

Spacious Artistic Home Steps To Georgetown And The White House is a super cute 4 BR/ 4 BA rowhouse where every bedroom has a different theme. Also located in Foggy Bottom, this house has a parking spot and is very close to the metro. Fantastic reviews and averages $366 a night.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a fun art museum that won’t take up your whole day and is relatively uncrowded, then the combined National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum is a great addition to your Washington, DC visit. Make a scavenger hunt out of it for the kids and they might even learn something new about American history and the people who shaped it.

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