The heritage of idealism

A portrait captures a moment and holds the figure for eternity in a single pose. In the case of presidential portraits, these stately stances often, especially in the case of Presidents who held the office prior to photographs, film and video, leave the most lasting impression on our memories. They are certainly the first images we conjure up at the mention of names like Jackson, Lincoln, or Monroe.

Spread across the walls in the waiting area of the Hall of Presidents is a collection of portraits highlighting just a few of our 44 presidents. For chronology’s sake, the portraits begin with George Washington and reach as far as Ronald Reagan. If you’re like me, it’s likely you can’t list every single president, much less their personal accomplishments. That makes the allotment of time truly worthy of exploration in this gallery where you can learn about the individuals, and the artifacts that populated their lives, whom have been known as Mr. President.