What is it?
The National Portrait Gallery shut for three years for a refurbishment in 2020, but since opening its doors again in June 2023, it is back proving that portraits don't have to be stuffy. But while the renovation has thrust the gallery into the modern times, the NPO also has a long history. Established in 1856 as an archive of exemplary figures, it was the first museum, outside the Uffizi’s self-portrait corridor, to be devoted entirely to portraits. Spanning six centuries, today the gallery claims to have the world's greatest collection of portraits.
Why go?
The NPG has everything from oil paintings of stiff-backed royals to photos of football stars and gloriously unflattering political caricatures. The portraits of musicians, scientists, artists, philanthropists and celebrities are spread across the building. You can find portraits of Tudor and Stuart royals and notables, Georgian writers and artists, Regency greats, military men such as Wellington and Nelson, as well as Byron, Wordsworth and other Romantics. And if you’ve ever wanted to see a blurry painting of Ed Sheeran, and God knows we all have, the NPG is the place to be. The new NPG also features a basement cocktail bar and a new wing funded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik (who paid for the Tate's new building too).
Don't miss:
Be sure to check out the doors at the gallery, which were designed by Tracey Emin for the reopening. As the gallery was previously criticised for its gender imbalance - prior to the closure, only 25 per cent of the portraits were of women, and 88 per cent of the artists were men - Emin was commissioned to paint the faces of 45 women onto the doors. Each face is sealed in bronze and do not represent any particular individuals.
When to visit:
10.30am-6pm Sunday-Thursday; 10.30am-9pm Friday and Saturday
Ticket info:
The permanent collection is free to enter. But, tickets for the exhibitions can be bought from the website.
Time Out tip:
If you're free on a Saturday evening (5.30pm-8pm) or Sunday morning (10.30am-12pm), the NPO runs pay what you wish nights. For as little as £1 you can enjoy the usually ticketed exhibitions - and trust us, looking up into the eyes of the gallery's many faces feels even better with a bargain.
