Recreation area

National Portrait Gallery

Washington · District of Columbia — managed by Smithsonian Institution

Open recreation area — no reservation needed

About this campground

Generations of remarkable Americans are kept in the company of their fellow citizens at the National Portrait Gallery. The Gallery presents the wonderful diversity of individuals who have left - and are leaving - their mark on our country and our culture. The National Portrait Gallery shares with the Smithsonian American Art Museum one of Washington's oldest public buildings, a National Historic Landmark that was begun in 1836 to house the U.S. Patent Office. One of the nation's finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, the building has undergone an extensive renovation that showcases its most dramatic architectural features, including skylights, a curving double staircase, porticos, and vaulted galleries illuminated by natural light. The Lunder Conservation Center, the only fine-art facility of its kind, is an innovative new space that allows visitors to look through floor-to-ceiling windows as conservators care for the national treasures entrusted to both museums. Open 11:30am to 7:00pm.; closed December 25

Getting there

The museums are conveniently located at Eighth and F Streets, NW, D.C., 20001, above the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metrorail station (Red, Yellow and Green lines).

Contact
(202) 633-1000

Activities

  • INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS
  • VISITOR CENTER

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more District of Columbia camping

National Portrait Gallery doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby District of Columbia campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

Browse District of Columbia camping →

Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.