The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is taking part in the commemorations for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and the presidency of Abraham Lincoln with a series of seven related exhibitions. The exhibitions will complement the installation of Civil War portraits and related objects that are on display in the museum’s “American Origins,” exhibition which charts the nation's story from pre-colonial days through the end of the nineteenth century. Beginning with “The Death of Ellsworth,” which opened in April 2011, the museum will focus on another story of the Civil War each year of the commemoration, ending with a major retrospective about the photography of Alexander Gardner. Accompanied by ongoing stellar educational programs, weekly blog entries, podcasts and videos written and produced by experts on Civil War topics, these exhibitions look to enlighten our visitors with some familiar—and forgotten—stories about the Civil War.