Last Chance to See Stephen Colbert’s Portrait
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Tomorrow is the last day to take your picture in front of Stephen Colbert's portrait, which currently hangs next to Dumbo the Flying Elephant on the National Museum of American History’s third floor. Colbert tirelessly campaigned to donate his portrait to a Smithsonian museum in a well-publicized quest beginning in January 2008.
Colbert first met with museum director Brent Glass to tour the "Treasures of American History" exhibit and convince him to include the portrait. After losing a bet, Glass rejected the portrait's inclusion, and Colbert moves on. He headed over to the National Portrait Gallery where he met with former director Marc Pachter who agrees to hang the portrait above a drinking fountain for six weeks.
But it didn't end there. After the six weeks was over, Glass reconsidered. He called to say that Colbert is, in fact, a national treasure. The portrait hung in the museum's temporary exhibit space in the National Air and Space museum. After the American History museum reopened in November 2008, it hung the portrait in its current location.
But alas the portrait will come down tomorrow. So hurry over, and snap a photo.