Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900

“Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900” presents more than 180 objects depicting notable individuals who helped shape the nation’s early development. 

Spanning the east wing of the museum’s first floor, the exhibition includes portraits of Indigenous Americans, European colonists, clergymen, soldiers, abolitionists, writers, performers, scientists, and others. 

Reopening July 1, 2022, the first phase of the museum's ongoing reinstallation of these permanent galleries presents some new faces while recognizing the unequal economic and social structures that influenced portraiture prior to the advent of photography in 1839, and the biases that influenced museum collecting practices in the decades that followed. This initial phase also includes the premiere of both a newly installed Civil War gallery and another dedicated to the nation’s Reconstruction period. 

The reinstallation of the museum’s permanent collection galleries and lighting track renovations continues through 2024.

Credit: Overview from museum website