# The National Portrait Gallery Wasn't Allowed to Acquire Photographs When It Opened in 1968. Fifty Years Later, the Smithsonian Museum's Collection Has Grown to 11,000 Photos and Counting

A new exhibition at the Washington, D.C. gallery celebrates half a century of collecting through portraits spanning the history of photography. Featured figures include President Abraham Lincoln, journalist Ida B. Wells and inventor Thomas Edison

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Smithsonian Magazine |
| Published | 2026-11-13T12:45:00.000Z |
| Section | Culture |
| Language | en |
| Publisher's article | https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-portrait-gallery-wasnt-allowed-to-acquire-photographs-when-it-opened-in-1968-fifty-years-later-the-smithsonian-museums-collection-has-grown-to-11000-photos-and-counting-180989823/ |
| Publishers covering this event | 1 |

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