National Portrait Gallery

St Martin's Place
London
WC2H 0HE
England

Website

www.npg.org.uk

Telephone

Recorded Information

020 7312 2463

020 7306 0055

Fax

020 7306 0056

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
venue representative image
Food icon Guided tours icon Shop icon Library icon Study area icon Hearing disability facilities icon Visual disability facilities icon Wheelchair access icon

The National Portrait Gallery is home to the largest collection of portraiture in the world featuring famous British men and women who have created history from the Middle Ages until the present day. Over 1,300 portraits are on display on three floors from Henry VIII and Florence Nightingale to The Beatles and HM The Queen.

Venue type

Museum

 Opening hours

Monday - Wednesday & Saturday - Sunday 10am - 6pm
Gallery closure commences at 5.50pm
Evening Openings Thursday & Friday 10am - 9pm
Gallery closure commences at 8.50pm

Closed: Good Friday, 24-26 December, 1 January

 Admission charges

Admission to the Gallery is FREE.
An admission fee is charged for some exhibitions

 General services and facilities
  • CD-ROM guide available
  • Foreign language audio guide available
  • Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
  • General audio-guide available
  • Guided tours
  • Pre-booking service for groups
  • Auditorium
  • Cafeteria
  • Restaurant
  • Shop
 Children and families
  • Activities for pre-school children
  • Events and resources for children and families
 Disability access
  • Audio guides specifically for blind and partially sighted people
  • Braille information and/or interpretation
  • Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
  • Induction loops in lecture theatres
  • Large print information and/or interpretation
  • Touch exhibits
  • Toilets for disabled
  • Wheelchair access to some public areas
  • Wheelchairs available for loan
 Schools services and facilities
  • Direct teaching services for schools
  • Member of staff available with responsibility for education
  • Primary school education service available
  • Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
  • Secondary school education service available
  • Education facilities available
 Research and adult learning
  • Academic publications and resources available
  • Adult lectures and courses held
  • Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
  • Library with public access
  • Mail order service available
  • Research facilities for academics
  • Study facilities
 Commercial and hire services
  • Facilities for private functions and events

Additional info

Evening Openings

The Gallery is open on Thursday and Friday evenings until 9pm. In addition to being able to view the Main Collection and exhibitions, special lectures (in English only) are held on Thursday evenings and free music events on Friday evenings.

St Martin's Place
London
WC2H 0HE
England

Website

www.npg.org.uk

Telephone

Recorded Information

020 7312 2463

020 7306 0055

Fax

020 7306 0056

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The Collection is displayed chronologically, beginning with the earliest Tudor portraits on the top floor, the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, through to the Victorians and early 20th century on the first floor and finishing with the most contemporary part of the collection on the ground floor.

Collection details

Archives, Decorative and Applied Art, Fine Art, Personalities, Social History

Key artists and exhibits

  • In addition to the Main Collection, a programme of special temporary exhibitions and displays runs throughout the year.

Collections services

  • General guide to collections available
  • Object identification and/or written enquiry service
  • Specialist publications on collections available
  • Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

St Martin's Place
London
WC2H 0HE
England

Website

www.npg.org.uk

Telephone

Recorded Information

020 7312 2463

020 7306 0055

Fax

020 7306 0056

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Digital and online resources

Making Faces

http://www.npg.org.uk/live/bp2007familyfun/bp2007familyfun.asp

 Paper-based and downloads

Salt Dough Recipe

http://www.npg.org.uk/live/edff3.pdf

 digital and online resources

National Portrait Gallery Webquests

http://www.npg.org.uk/webquests/

Webquests are online activities for children, using the collections of nine national museums and galleries.

 face to face resources

Family Art Events

http://www.npg.org.uk/learning/families.php

On the 3rd Saturday of every month, explore portraits from the National Portrait Gallery's collection, then take part in an art activity. Workshops are at 11.30 and 14.30 and last approximately 90 minutes.

How to obtain

Pick up a free ticket to attend the sessions, available one hour before it starts from the Information Desk in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall. Spaces are allocated first come, first served and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Storytelling for Families

http://www.npg.org.uk/learning/families.php

Third Saturday of every month, join our storytellers for monthly drop-in storytelling sessions in the Gallery, inspired by the Collection. Suitable for children aged 3+ and their carers.

How to obtain

No ticket required. Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall. These sessions are free and will last about 30 minutes.

The Sunday Sessions

http://www.npg.org.uk/learning/young.php

The Sunday Sessions are part of the Young People's Programme for 14-21 year olds. All sessions are free and explore aspects of portraiture in exciting and innovative ways, drawing inspiration from the collection or temporary exhibitions.

How to obtain

For more information email youthbookings@npg.org.uk or call 020 7312 2483.

Youth Forum

http://www.npg.org.uk/learning/young.php

Youth Forum is part of The National Portrait Gallery's Young People's Programme for 14-21 year olds. All sessions are free and explore aspects of portraiture in exciting and innovative ways, drawing inspiration from the collection and temporary exhibitions. Youth Forum meets on a Thursday evening once a month.

How to obtain

For more information or to join Youth Forum, contact Rachel Moss, Young People's Programme Manager on rmoss@npg.org.uk.

St Martin's Place
London
WC2H 0HE
England

Website

www.npg.org.uk

Telephone

Recorded Information

020 7312 2463

020 7306 0055

Fax

020 7306 0056

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
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