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SCHOOL PROGRAMS, 2008–09
School programs at the National Portrait Gallery inspire students to learn about the men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States. The Portrait Gallery is the only museum of its kind in the United States to combine aspects of American history, biography, and art.
Using a "walk, talk, think, and do" approach, students will participate in an interactive, themed gallery tour facilitated by specially trained Gallery Educators. These programs are standards–based and complement curricula in art, history, social studies, and language arts.
Many programs also include related hands–on experiences in the National Portrait Gallery's Education Center. Students participating in this optional module of the program will return to the classroom with a product of their experience, whether an artistic creation, a skill learned, or a dramatic interpretation.
Gallery tour–only programs are one hour long, while programs that combine both gallery and optional Education Center components are two hours long.
All school programs are available from October to May of each academic year, except where noted.
Portrait Stories
Grades Kindergarten–3
 
Delve into history! This engaging and highly interactive program brings young students face to face with a significant American. From discussing the portrait and listening to an age–appropriate biography to creating a related hands-on art activity, students gain firsthand knowledge about fascinating individuals.
Highlights of NPG
Grades 5–12
Who invented the light bulb? Who led the charge for women's rights? Who coined the term "The Gilded Age"? Visit the National Portrait Gallery to find out. Bring your students to learn more about those individuals who shaped America with this interactive tour.
(Work with us to identify the most relevant individuals for your class.)
America's Presidents
Grades 4–12
The National Portrait Gallery is proud to hold the only national collection of presidential portraits. The images in this exhibition lie at the very heart of the Portrait Gallery's mission to tell the story of those who have shaped America. Teachers can choose from three separate programs that explore this exhibition: Early Presidents, Twentieth–Century Presidents, and Highlights of America's Presidents.
Movers and Shapers: Early America to the Civil War
Grades 5–8
From the colonial era to the end of the Civil War, individuals have shaped their own times. Here, we present the politicians, reformers, authors, soldiers, and others who have changed the course of American history.
Temporary Exhibitions
Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture
Grades 5–12
May 9, 2008–February 8, 2009
What could be less subtle than the pictorial poster, blaring out its message with large scale, loud colors, and bold graphics? By interweaving the three themes of poster art—celebrity, promotion, and advertising—students will examine how a famous face can enhance a poster, and, conversely, what posters say about prominent Americans.
Portraiture Now: Feature Photography
Grades 5–12
December 4, 2008–May 10, 2009
"Feature Photography" highlights fine–art photographers whose editorial assignments for magazines have allowed their work to be seen by a broader audience. Students will be introduced to the work of these six photographers and discuss how photographic portraiture is utilized for the popular press, and examine the creative possibilities for twenty-first century portrayal.
Presidents in Waiting
Grades 4–12
January 20, 2009–January 3, 2010
John Adams viewed the office of the vice president as the "most insignificant office" ever invented by man. In fact, fourteen vice presidents have succeeded to the presidency. Students will discover how these men stepped into the presidential role and helped shape history.
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CONTACT US
 Phone: (202) 633-8503
FAX: (202) 633-8521
 E-mail: NPGEducation@si.edu
Mailing Address:
Office of Education
National Portrait Gallery
P.O. Box
37012
Washington, D.C. 20013-0712
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SCHOOL PROGRAM REGISTRATION PACKET
Please use the printable registration packet for all school programs, and be sure to include all required information. The application should be emailed to the address above.
 Registration packet (doc)
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 NEW:
"READING" PORTRAITURE GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS
Learn how to use portraits as a tool to teach about significant individuals and the eras in which they lived.
 Print guide (pdf)
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