August 28 marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. At the National Portrait Gallery, the museum is recognizing the event with a new exhibit that honors the man and the work he did. The show includes bits from nearly every aspect of King’s life: photos of him with his family outside Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala.; an image of him riding Montgomery’s first integrated bus in 1956; and a Time magazine cover from the museum’s enormous collection. There’s enough in the exhibit to keep casual history fans engaged, but curators hope that visitors will come away with a fuller understanding of King’s life, as a minister, an orator, and as a family man. Even as we celebrate King’s signature moment, viewers have the opportunity to reflect on all the work he did, from his days as a pastor to his final work protesting the Vietnam War.

The exhibit is on view daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. to June 1 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW. Free. (202) 833-8300. npg.si.edu