Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery · Washington · US

The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees

Jun 26, 2026 – Jun 6, 2027

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Timed with the U.S. semiquincentennial, the National Portrait Gallery will commemorate the founding of its historic home with The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees. This exhibition will sketch the early history of the Patent Office—the third oldest building in Washington—through works in the museum collection.