Exhibitions
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In Memoriam: Rosalynn Carter, 1927–2023
November 21, 2023 – January 3, 2024Portrait GalleryRosalynn Carter was the first lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
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To Live and Breathe: Women and Environmental Justice in Washington, D.C.
May 19, 2023 – January 7, 2024Anacostia Community MuseumExplore how women of color draw on a long history of activism and advance environmental justice efforts.
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I Dream a World: Selections from Brian Lanker’s Portraits of Remarkable Black Women: Part I
July 8, 2022 – January 29, 2023Portrait GalleryThis exhibition features more than 25 photographs by Brian Lanker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer.
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Escaramuza Dress
September 17, 2021 – January 4, 2022American History MuseumAn escaramuza charra dress worn by Veronica Davila is on view, representing the only female event in the Mexican charrería.
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Every Eye Is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States
November 13, 2020 – May 23, 2021Portrait GalleryEvery Eye Is Upon Me is the first major exhibition to explore the historical significance of this prominent position through the mode of portraiture.
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Girlhood (It's Complicated)
October 9, 2020 – January 2, 2023American History MuseumThrough its rich collections and new acquisitions, the museum explores how girls have been on the front lines of social and cultural change.
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Her Story: A Century of Women Writers
September 18, 2020 – January 23, 2022Portrait GalleryThis exhibition drawn from the NPG collection highlights twenty-four noted women writers from the past one hundred years.
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Creating Icons: How We Remember Women's Suffrage
March 6, 2020 – January 2, 2022American History MuseumThis exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment recognizing women’s right to vote.
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In Memoriam: Jessye Norman, 1945-2019
October 3, 2019 – November 3, 2019Portrait GalleryThe National Portrait Gallery commemorates the life of Jessye Norman, one of the twentieth century's greatest sopranos.
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In Memoriam: Toni Morrison
August 6, 2019 – November 7, 2019Portrait GalleryToni Morrison, the first black woman to become a Nobel laureate, wrote about the experiences of African Americans.
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One Life: Marian Anderson
June 28, 2019 – March 13, 2020Portrait GalleryThis exhibition examines the ways in which artists, concert promoters, and others wielded Marian Anderson's iconic likeness as a powerful symbol in the pursuit of civil rights.
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Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits
June 14, 2019 – June 13, 2021Portrait GalleryThis exhibition of daguerreotypes and ambrotypes from the 1840s and 1850s features portraits of early feminist icons.
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In Memoriam: Leah Chase
June 4, 2019 – June 30, 2019Portrait GalleryThe Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery recognizes the life and legacy of Leah Chase with a painting by Gustave Blache III.
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Storied Women of the Civil War Era
May 24, 2019 – March 20, 2022Portrait GalleryThis intimate exhibition includes portraits of Civil War era women who captivated the public while becoming sought-after subjects for Mathew Brady’s camera.
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Portrait of Julie Packard by Hope Gangloff
April 23, 2019 – February 24, 2020Portrait GalleryOn display is a newly commissioned painting of Julie Packard, a leading figure in science and ocean conservation and the executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence
March 29, 2019 – January 5, 2020Portrait GalleryTo commemorate the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, NPG presents the story of the historic crusade for American women’s rights.
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All Work and No Pay: A History of Women's Invisible Labor
March 4, 2019 – May 30, 2022American History MuseumBreak rooms across America hold signs that read: “Your mother doesn’t work here.” All Work and No Pay examines the implied expectation that women will take care of the housework.
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In Memoriam: Aretha Franklin
August 17, 2018 – August 22, 2018Portrait GalleryThe Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery recognizes the life of acclaimed singer and musician Aretha Franklin.
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The Case of Luisa Moreno
July 20, 2018 – April 30, 2019American History MuseumThe display features objects representing Moreno’s work as a civil rights activist and labor organizer with union pins as well as her shawl and a pamphlet to rally national attention and halt Moreno’s deportation.
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Special Olympics at 50
July 10, 2018 – October 17, 2021American History MuseumCommemorate the 50th anniversary of the first International Special Olympics Games through the stories of four accomplished athletes who participated in them.
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