Elvis Presley / Ralph Wolfe Cowan / 1976-1988 / Oil on canvas / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of R.W. Cowan

>> It’s been over 30 years since Elvis died, yet many still hold a torch for his hunk-a, hunk-a burning love. The National Portrait Gallery celebrates the 75th anniversary of Presley’s birth with One Life: Echoes of Elvis. The exhibit showcases a myriad of images of Elvis by artists like Andy Warhol, Ralph Wolfe Cowan and Red Grooms. The King is in the building starting Jan. 8.

>> The National Zoo starts a new performance series aimed at the under four-foot set this month. The Wild Side Stage Performances start Jan. 10 and feature musicians, dancers, storytellers, and puppeteers. Sing along with Brady Rymer on the Jan. 10, then get your dancing shoes on for a performance with the CityDance Ensemble on Jan. 24. FONZ members $5, Nonmembers $7.

>> At the Newseum, enjoy a movie with Brian Williams. Absence of Malice raises questions surrounding journalistic ethics and what happens when a reporter becomes too close to her source. Williams will discuss the issues the movie brings to the forefront. Playing Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Members $20, General Public $25. Purchase tickets here.

>> Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America opens Jan.15 at the Ripley Center. Featuring rare artifacts and photographs from more than 400 communities the exhibit explores the role of Catholic sisters in American life.

>> At the American Art Museum, opening Jan. 15, is the third in a series of special installations celebrating American artists’ works on paper. Graphic Masters III: Highlights from the Smithsonian American Art Museum shows twenty-eight exceptional watercolors, charcoals, and drawings from the 1960s to the 1990s by Jennifer Bartlett, Will Barnet, Carolyn Brady, Claes Oldenburg and more.

>> Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Family Festival at the Museum of American History. This three-day family festival features music, historic theatre, and interactive activities. The program includes the museum’s award-winning interactive play Join the Student Sit-Ins, which invites visitors to take the role of protesters during the sit-in movement that began at the Greensboro, North Carolina, Woolworth’s Lunch Counter. You can consult the full listing of events happening at the Museum Jan. 16-18 here.