Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery Launches Women-Focused Podcast

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. launched its first podcast series, Portraits, on June 18, 2019. The inaugural season centers on women whose portraits are in the museum’s collection, with episodes hosted by director Kim Sajet. Guests include Harvard historian Jill Lepore, Georgetown law professor Sheryll Cashin, illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, New York-based artist Hope Gangloff, and Monterey Bay Aquarium executive director Julie Packard. The podcast complements the gallery’s eight-exhibition cycle (2019–2020) tied to the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, “Because of Her Story.” Episodes are available on npg.si.edu/podcasts and platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Play, PRX, Radio Public, Spotify, and Stitcher. The initiative follows similar moves by dealers David Zwirner (Dialogues podcast) and Emmanuel Perrotin, who released talks from past exhibitions as podcasts.