This museum might be thought of as the nation's family album. Modeled after its namesake in London, the National Portrait Gallery conserves some 20,000 paintings sculptures, photographs, engravings and drawings of "men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development and culture of the people of the United States." To be accepted into the permanent collection, portraits must be original works of art, preferably taken from life. Be sure to stop by the new conservation center to see the conservation process firsthand.