Description: The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) are two different museums that had their origins in the Smithsonian’s National Gallery of Art. They have been housed in the old Patent Office Building since 1968. The American Art Museum was established in 1907 under the name “National Gallery of Art.” The National Portrait Gallery was
Description: The Smithsonian American Art Museum began as an art gallery in the Smithsonian Institution Building, the Castle. A National Gallery of Art was formally created in 1906 in the US National Museum. In 1968, the collection moved to the American Art and Portrait Galleries, and its Renwick Gallery opened in 1972. History of the Smithsonian American Art MuseumAdditional Historic