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National Gallery of ArtvsNational Portrait Gallery
Both are rated very highly by professional travelers. Overall, National Gallery of Art ranks marginally higher than National Portrait Gallery. National Gallery of Art is ranked #12 in Washington DC with accolades from 6 reviewers such as Lonely Planet, Frommer's and concierge.com.
National Gallery of Art
Fodor's
Concierge
Lonely Planet
Travel + Leisure Fodor's Fodor's
Michelin Guide
Where Where
U.S. News & World Report Show All Reviews
West Building, Constitution Avenue and 6th Avenue, Washington DC, DC 20002
From $0/night
Fodor's "The East Building opened in 1978 in response to the changing needs of the National Gallery, especially to house a growing collection of modern art."
Concierge "Rodin sculptures; masterpieces acquired from the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; three French and Italian period rooms; and a selection of drawings from da Vinci."
i
Visit on a weekday morning to avoid the densest crowds.
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"Set in two massive buildings, the National Gallery of Art houses a staggering art collection (over 100,000 objects), spanning the Middle Ages to the present." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The two architecturally opposed buildings that make up this museum jointly contain one of the world’s most extraordinary art collections." Full review
Fodor's "The two buildings of the National Gallery hold one of the world's foremost art collections, with paintings, sculptures, and graphics that date from the 13th to the 21st centuries." Full review
Fodor's "The East Building opened in 1978 in response to the changing needs of the National Gallery, especially to house a growing collection of modern art." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"The National Gallery's world-class collection of masterpieces traces the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present." Full review
Where "Newly renovated with 12,250 square feet of additional public space, featuring skylight tower galleries highlighting works by Alexander Calder and Mark Rothko." Full review
Where "This elegant building contains one of the world’s finest collections of American and European paintings and sculpture dating from the 13th century, including this hemisphere’s only da Vinci painting." Full review
U.S. News & World Report6.0
"Composed of the East Building, which houses the gallery's more modern works...and the West Building, which contains the collection's older works (from Sandro Botticelli to Claude Monet)." Full review
i
If you're any kind of art connoisseur, you should make a stop at the National Gallery of Art
National Portrait Gallery Concierge Travel + Leisure
Time Out
Afar Magazine Fodor's Michelin Guide Where Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
F Street NW, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, DC 20560
From $0/night
Concierge "There are portraits of every American president (including Gilbert Stuart's Lansdowne portrait of George Washington and Pat Oliphant's caricatures of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon)."
Travel + Leisure "Traces the history of America through visual and performing arts that pay tribute to great American icons like Marilyn Monroe and Rosa Parks." Full review
Time Out "The National Portrait Gallery features people who played a role in the shaping of the nation and its culture." Full review
Afar Magazine "This gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown D.C. It is my favorite place to bring visitors." Full review
Fodor's "Devoted to the intersection of art, biography, and history, this museum has on view hundreds of images of men and women who have shaped U.S. history." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"Modeled after its namesake in London, the National Portrait Gallery conserves some 20,000 paintings sculptures, photographs, engravings and drawings." Full review
Where "Famed faces of U.S. history and culture. Only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Daily 11:30 am-7 pm. Gift shop, café." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The Portrait Gallery is a great addition to the more popular stops, especially for those interested in a history of art, and the variety of people who shaped American history."
Washington, D.C. Travel Guide
March 1, 2021
Travel + Leisure "Thousands of works at the National Portrait Gallery include visual, performance, and new media art depicting presidents, poets, film stars, scientists, and more"
15 Best Museums in Washington, D.C.
March 20, 2023
Travel + Leisure "You will view spectacular pieces here, including Barack and Michelle Obama's official portraits...enjoy the museum's modern courtyard as well, which features a "floating" canopy of glass and steel"
