The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees

The National Portrait Gallery presents "The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees," an exhibition timed to the U.S. semiquincentennial. Curated by Senior Curator of Photographs Ann Shumard, the show traces the early history of the Patent Office—the third oldest building in Washington—and the patentees whose inventions fueled American innovation. Featuring works from the museum's collection, highlights include a painted portrait miniature of President Andrew Jackson, a daguerreotype of inventor Samuel Morse, an 1869 print of patent examiners at work, and portraits of inventors such as Thaddeus Lowe and Abraham Lincoln. The exhibition also includes rare daguerreotypes of patentees and historic prints representing the architecture of the Patent Office Building.

When: The exhibition runs from June 26, 2026, through June 6, 2027.

Venue: It is located on the First Floor, East Galleries of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Tickets: Price is not available; admission details may be found on the museum’s website.

Curator: The exhibition is curated by Ann Shumard, Senior Curator of Photographs.

Key Works: Among the works on view are a painted portrait miniature of Andrew Jackson, who selected the Patent Office Building’s site and architect; a daguerreotype of Samuel Morse; an 1869 hand-colored wood engraving by Theodore R. Davis titled “Patent-Office, Washington, D.C. – Examiners at Work”; a lithograph by Philip Haas titled “Three Views of the Patent Office” from circa 1840; daguerreotypes of patentees; and portraits of inventor Thaddeus Lowe and Abraham Lincoln, the only U.S. president to hold a patent.

Note: This exhibition commemorates the founding of the National Portrait Gallery’s historic home, originally the Patent Office Building, as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial. It highlights the building’s architecture—including the work of architects Robert Mills and Thomas U. Walter—and the early patent system’s role as a catalyst for technological progress.