Billy Graham and the Obamas

Where: National Portrait Gallery

When: closing March 25, 2018 (Billy Graham), November 4, 2018 (Michelle Obama), and in 2028 (Barack Obama)

I've had more lunch plans than I can manage lately, so museum visits have taken a back seat.  I know, I know, it's really hard to be popular. I did manage to get over to the Portrait Gallery before a Smithsonian Associates program this week, and saw the portraits of Billy Graham, Michelle Obama and Barack Obama.

Billy Graham's portrait was unsurprising - it's a pretty standard, formal picture.  Nothing really intriguing or interesting about it, frankly.  Ho hum.

Michelle Obama's portrait (right across the hallway from Graham) was garnering a lot of attention, but I didn't need to wait in line to see it.  I liked it; it's both celebratory and serious.  I'll say her skin tone looked more gray than brown, but perhaps that was a trick of the lighting or the effect of the blue background.  When the hubbub has died down, I'll have a closer look.  It's in the "Recent Acquisitions" section.

Barack Obama's portrait was also very crowded, although I was able to look at that without standing in line either.  I liked it as well; it's different than the other Presidential portraits, and after a while, you can only look at so many stodgy old pictures.  I'll be back to see this again too.

Verdict: Unless you're a big Billy Graham fan, you can skip his portrait, and you've got plenty of time to see the Obamas.