





London: National Portrait Gallery
Operating Hours:Saturday - Thursday: 10:30 - 18:00. Friday: 10:30 - 21:00
The Vibe:500 years of British faces on one wall.
Britain's picture archive of itself sits behind the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square. Tudor monarchs, Romantic poets, suffragettes and contemporary footballers hang on the same walls — sitters chosen for their national significance, not their artistic depiction.
Henry VIII stares down from the Tudor rooms; Shakespeare's Chandos portrait hangs a few doors away. Footsteps hush on wood floors; school groups gather around the Brontë sisters. Daylight falls through the 2023 extension's glass.
- • The first portrait gallery of its kind in the world, founded in 1856
- • Free admission to the permanent collection
- • Reopened in June 2023 after a three-year, £41 million refurbishment
- • Houses the only known portrait of Shakespeare painted during his lifetime
Persona Fit
- 👨👩👧 Families: Recognisable faces (Queen, Harry Styles, footballers) engage older children
- 💕 Couples: Refurbished galleries and Friday late openings with live music
- 👵 Seniors: Full step-free access; manageable in under two hours
- 📸 Photographers: The new Ross Place entrance with its Tracey Emin doors
Highlights
- Tudor Gallery — Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and the Chandos Shakespeare portrait
- Victorian Gallery — Dickens, the Brontës, suffragettes and explorers
- Contemporary Gallery — Beyoncé, David Beckham, Ed Sheeran in rotation
- The Queen's portraits — multiple studies of Elizabeth II through her reign
- BP Portrait Award winners — annual contemporary-portrait competition displays
- Tracey Emin Doors — bronze entrance doors unveiled in 2023 — Hidden Gem

Sarah Riches
Our London Local Expert
Table of Contents
Things To Do Nearby
National Gallery — the bigger European-art sister, two minutes south
Trafalgar Square — Nelson's Column and the fountains
Covent Garden — shopping and street performers, 10 minutes east
Leicester Square — cinema district, five minutes west
National Gallery — the bigger European-art sister, two minutes south
Trafalgar Square — Nelson's Column and the fountains
Covent Garden — shopping and street performers, 10 minutes east
Leicester Square — cinema district, five minutes west
TJ's Guide - National Portrait Gallery
Know Before You Go
Insider Tips
Best Time: First hour of opening for quiet Tudor galleries; Friday Late for live music
Hack: The Ondaatje Wing café gives the best free view of Trafalgar Square
Hidden Gem: Tracey Emin's bronze doors at the new Ross Place entrance are an artwork in themselves
Check the Taylor Wessing Prize schedule for cutting-edge contemporary photography
The BP Portrait Award (summer) brings crowds — book online or visit early
Best Time: First hour of opening for quiet Tudor galleries; Friday Late for live music
Hack: The Ondaatje Wing café gives the best free view of Trafalgar Square
Hidden Gem: Tracey Emin's bronze doors at the new Ross Place entrance are an artwork in themselves
Check the Taylor Wessing Prize schedule for cutting-edge contemporary photography
The BP Portrait Award (summer) brings crowds — book online or visit early
Know Your Facts
- Closest Tube: Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo) or Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly), both two minutes
- Main entrance: New Ross Place entrance (Tracey Emin doors) since 2023 refurbishment
- Alternative entrance: St Martin's Place, leading to the shop and café
- First-time tip: Enter via Ross Place to see the Emin doors; inside, take the lift to the top floor and work down chronologically
Once You Reach
Internal Navigation
Chronological layout: Top floor (Tudor and Stuart) down to ground (contemporary)
Venue map: Free at entry; gallery app offers self-guided tours
Signage: Clear directional markers; chronological flow is intuitive
Accessibility: Lift to all floors; step-free throughout
Efficient route: Take lift to top, work down chronologically, exit via the shop
Food & Coffee Shops
Portrait Restaurant (on-site): Fine dining with panoramic rooftop views
Ondaatje Wing Café: Casual lunches and afternoon tea
St Martin-in-the-Fields Crypt Café: Just across the square, historic setting
Portrait Restaurant (on-site): Fine dining with panoramic rooftop views
Ondaatje Wing Café: Casual lunches and afternoon tea
St Martin-in-the-Fields Crypt Café: Just across the square, historic setting
Photography Tips
Non-flash photography permitted in permanent galleries
Temporary exhibitions and contemporary rooms may restrict photography — check signage
The Ondaatje Wing café gives unique Trafalgar Square compositions
Tracey Emin doors work best in angled morning light from Ross Place
Non-flash photography permitted in permanent galleries
Temporary exhibitions and contemporary rooms may restrict photography — check signage
The Ondaatje Wing café gives unique Trafalgar Square compositions
Tracey Emin doors work best in angled morning light from Ross Place
Explore Deeper
Founded in 1856 at a time when Victorian Britain was consolidating its self-image, the gallery's mission has always been to document who, not how well painted. Its criteria for inclusion privilege historical significance over aesthetic merit — meaning the gallery holds both masterpieces and competent likenesses of important people.
The Chandos portrait of Shakespeare, the only likeness made during his lifetime, was the gallery's founding acquisition in 1856
The 2023 refurbishment reversed the chronological flow — visitors now start at the top with Tudors and work down to contemporary subjects
The BP Portrait Award ran from 1990 to 2022 before the gallery dropped oil sponsorship amid climate concerns; a new sponsor was found for 2023
Tracey Emin's bronze Ross Place entrance doors, unveiled 2023, are decorated with 45 sculpted female faces responding to the gallery's traditionally male-dominated history
The Chandos portrait of Shakespeare, the only likeness made during his lifetime, was the gallery's founding acquisition in 1856
The 2023 refurbishment reversed the chronological flow — visitors now start at the top with Tudors and work down to contemporary subjects
The BP Portrait Award ran from 1990 to 2022 before the gallery dropped oil sponsorship amid climate concerns; a new sponsor was found for 2023
Tracey Emin's bronze Ross Place entrance doors, unveiled 2023, are decorated with 45 sculpted female faces responding to the gallery's traditionally male-dominated history
Did You Know?
First of its kind — Britain's National Portrait Gallery was the world's first dedicated portrait gallery, founded in 1856
Sitter selection — A committee meets regularly to decide which contemporary figures should be commissioned for portraits
Refurbishment scope — The 2020-2023 refit touched 85% of the building's public areas
Photograph holdings — Beyond paintings, the gallery holds around 350,000 photographic portraits








