From the moment of their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in February 2018, the museum’s official portraits of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama have become iconic. Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of President Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of the former First Lady have inspired unprecedented responses from the public.

This five-city tour will travel the country from June 2021 through May 2022 and is expected to reach millions of people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to view these remarkable paintings. In addition to the artworks themselves, The Obama Portraits Tour will feature audio-visual elements, Portrait Gallery-led teacher workshops, curatorial presentations, and a richly illustrated book (National Portrait Gallery and Princeton University Press). This special presentation will enhance the conversations surrounding the power of portraiture and its potential to engage communities.

Tour locations include:

Art Institute of Chicago; Chicago—June 18, 2021–Aug. 15, 2021 Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn, New York—Aug. 27, 2021–Oct. 24, 2021 Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Los Angeles—Nov. 5, 2021–Jan. 2, 2022 High Museum of Art; Atlanta—Jan. 14, 2022–March 13, 2022 The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Houston—March 25, 2022–May 30, 2022