Elliot Gruber

Elliot Gruber is the acting director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. The museum, established by Congress in 1962, displays images of the individuals who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States. The museum’s mission is to champion art, history and biography to understand the story of the United States and remind people that their actions can change the world. The National Portrait Gallery shares its space with the Smithsonian American Art Museum in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, a National Historic Landmark building at Eighth and F streets N.W. in Washington. Gruber has temporarily left his post as director of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.

Before joining the Smithsonian in 2017, Gruber worked for more than 30 years in the nonprofit sector, including at the National Parks Conservation Association, the Civil War Trust and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. His passion for museums and the impact they have was kindled during his time in Gettysburg where he was responsible for relaunching a capital campaign to build a new museum and visitor center Gruber became the chief operating officer at the Gettysburg Foundation, the most successful public–private partnership with the U.S. Park Service, where he was responsible for all aspects of museum operations—from visitor services to retail, facilities to exhibitions.  

Gruber is originally from Danbury, Connecticut. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brandeis University and a master’s degree in organizational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.  

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SI-239-2025