National Portrait Gallery
Art Gallery and Art Museum
Piccadilly, London
The folks at Michelin Travel & Lifestyle and Time Out London like this place. Would you agree?
"... it's right behind the national gallery. Tons of paintings and sculptures from..."(9 Tips)
"vintage photos from the masters and Vogue 100 years celebrations"(4 Tips)
"annual taylor wessing photography prize"(3 Tips)
"Man Ray portraits exhibition is really good - he knew everyone!!"(3 Tips)
166 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- vogue
- taylor wessing
- scenic views
- permanent collection
- exhibits
- (15 more)
Sort:
- Popular
- Recent
ToryBurchOctober 12, 2011This must-see museum houses over 160,000 portraits of famous Brits (think Mick Jagger, Queen Victoria) dating back to the 16th century. It also is home to a trove of Cecil Beaton images.
Oscar TrellesNovember 25, 2014Most of the gallery exhibits are available for a suggested £1 donation, enough to keep you busy for at least a couple of hours. Great way to learn some of the history you won't find in the books.
Anna EllegaardAugust 5, 2015Came here for Marc Quinn's Blood Head. Instant wow-factor! And for the Tudor portraits exhibition, which unfortunately was on loan in Paris when I went. Rest of the collection is great.- Jose LopezFebruary 12, 2015One of the most important galleries in London, it's a must if you are already at trafalgar, it's right behind the national gallery. Tons of paintings and sculptures from different eras.
Paul MisonAugust 16, 2011It's not as famous as its generalist neighbour, but it's well worth a visit in its own right. Keep an eye out for temporary exhibitions, too, although not all of them are worth the money.
Valentina CiolinoFebruary 25, 2024The Café at -1 has plenty of room, big cakes and usually a queue. The Bar & café at -3 is bigger and fancier, less family friendly and no cakes, but has less queues and nice photo portraits- Mahdi HosseiniSeptember 10, 2017You must visit it. With 195.000 portraits, it's one of the most attractive galleries in the UK. I'm sure you'll be surprised!
- The ultimate gallery for portraits of current and historic people. Beautifully arranged and with a nice atmosphere. Look out for the special evening events too!
Andy LoveJuly 12, 2015Lovely selection of portraits, but even more astounding than the famous collections are the new artists. Worth a trip (and a tip!)
Paul GallagherJuly 28, 2017This is an excellent gallery in the centre of London. Perfect for a 15-30 minute visit. I fully recommend popping in to see the latest additions.
Carl GriffinFebruary 14, 2016Huge collection of portraits of those who have made Britain the great country it is. Portraits range from playwrights to pop stars and kings to psychologists. Entrance is free.
KarenJanuary 6, 2018Portraits galore of British royalty through the ages. See the real-life portrait of Princess Kate found here. The royal family portrait of King George V and his family is stunning.
Joana ViannaAugust 9, 2015Most classical museum in London! If you don't like Renaissance or 1800's paintings, I suggest staying in the Van Gogh and "modern" wing. It should be a 30 minut visit- Kathy MayApril 15, 2016Lots of interesting to see, vintage photos from the masters and Vogue 100 years celebrations that can't be missed!!
It's free. Do one section then leave. Come back another day for more. This gallery works excellently for discrete visits.
Lots of lovely portraits here. Spend a few hours admiring the paintings ; then stroll round to the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square
Suzi WaddellSeptember 19, 2014Could spend hours here. Most exhibitions are free. good selection of modern portraits, the BP Portrait Artist of Year exhibition very good.
Arix BiNovember 6, 2016Very beautiful Museum with the portraits from the Tudor era to now (like princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II), free!
Ankur PatelAugust 26, 2014The portrait gallery is great, but is often missed by those who only visit the national gallery next door. Well laid out chronologically, and definitely worth a visit.
JustinNovember 9, 2015Great & highly varied collection, visit room 24 on the first floor to see pairs of paintings hung at angles allowing them to be viewed together (innovative & effective)
Alastair HiltonSeptember 16, 2014For art lovers this is THE place to come. You'll need to set aside a day if you want to see everything.
miztinAugust 18, 2014A brilliant gallery in the heart of London. Lovely collection is worth the visit.
NuffAugust 6, 2016An amazingly diverse collection that looks at (predominately British) portraiture from all angles and time ages.
Pau ArlandisJune 27, 2015I entered here with not too much enthusiasm and I exited completely enchanted. I love this museum, you can learn a lot history here even if you don't want you. Worst: you can't take pics :(
Ksenia V.August 3, 2018The annual exhibition of contemporary portrait artists. You can even vote for your fav!
Otel.comOctober 11, 2011Here, you will see amazing portraits (drawings, paintings, photos, sculptures, etc.) of notable figures of the country's history like those of Shakespeare, Henry VII, and the band Blur. Opens 10 am.
MD's Sandwiches & CaféJanuary 2, 201220% off for all Lucian Freud Fans/Lovers, with your entry ticket.... we are just 50meters from the NPG. We are a Viennese Cafe with open Sandwiches, new in London and already talk of town.
Ieva AndrukaitytėMarch 6, 2016If you have to choose between the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery, go to the National Gallery. Much more impressive and diverse.
E K KFebruary 15, 2016One of UK's museum gems. Fine historical collections and the occasional modern photographic exhibitions too.
paris mcmahonNovember 14, 2015The restaurant in the top floor is one of central London's best kept secret for drinks & dinner - stunning views
Stephanie FosterNovember 28, 2015Powerful Giacometti exhibition on currently. Really a must see! Existentialism embodied.
Ана ЛековићAugust 6, 2019Not bad to learn a bit about some famous people from British history, but if you're in town for a short time there are more impressive museums, especially National gallery next door.
BritannicaAugust 3, 2011The gallery was founded by an act of Parliament in 1856 and was housed at a number of locations until its present home. One of the most famous portraits is the Younger of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein
Darryl EllsonAugust 24, 2014Wonderful gallery. Far better than the national. Art with a history lesson. Opens until 9pm on Thursdays.
Hendy OngkodjojoJanuary 1, 2015Great portrait gallery showcasing different portrait types from all ages and many award winning contemporary portraits through the various exhibitions.
Frances PangilinanDecember 19, 2013They have a 1-hour tour that starts at 2:30pm. Great way to see the important stuff...fast!
Bianca NgAugust 28, 2016I love portraits so this gallery was perfect for me. It's so interesting to see all the different styles.
Mia BAugust 9, 2014The art is excellent. Usually quieter than National Gallery. The cafe is also a good meeting place.
London24May 9, 2012The National Portrait Gallery has been visited by numerous heads of state. Another interesting visitor was a tiger cub from the national zoo, who was named after then Gallery Director, Marvin Sadik.
Melissa TgsNovember 1, 2010By recommendation i started with Van Gogh, following the turns into more biblical, ornate and tactile pieces i.e. Carlo Crivelli << i like! The space is HUGE, so make u sit and rest between trips, :)
Michelin Travel & LifestyleJanuary 14, 2014See UK history from Henry VII to today in portraits, then check out the ground and first floor temporary exhibitions. – Green Guide Editor
Giacomo MasonOctober 3, 2016I don't personally love the permanent collection, but the exhibitions are mostly great every time!
EDRSeptember 19, 2015Always hosting very interesting shows, one of my favourite cultural places in London.
Did you know that the National Portrait Gallery runs an amazing outreach programme with community groups in London. Take a look at their website to find out more.
Nataly KoukoushkinaAugust 16, 2013Free admission. Wonderful collection for better understanding of the royal tree. The portrait of Catherine Middleton (2012) is already there, btw :)
Roman GaponenkoMarch 22, 2014The restaurant on top has one of the best views in London. Few know about it, so welcome to the club.- Worth checking out the annual taylor wessing photography prize and their permanent collection is interesting.
Gary HorOctober 14, 2016Adjacent to National Gallery, but this one specialises in portraits as the name suggests. Free admission, by the way.
1,634 Photos
Foursquare © 2025 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Closed until 10:00 AM tomorrow (Show more)
- Mon–Wed, Sat–Sun
- 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Thu–Fri
- 10:00 AM–9:00 PM
+44 20 7306 0055
Features
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Visa & MasterCard)
Wi-Fi
Free
See More
Places inside National Portrait Gallery
You might also like
- 8.3
"I was really quite impressed. Good exhibitions and friendly staff. Open late on Thursdays."
Alistair - 9.2
"Loved the gallery and its content, its easy and cosy to go through it"
Giorgi Merebashvili - 9.0
"The ICA offers free wifi and great coffee ideal for a causal working meeting or arty elevenses."
Dave Marshall
Places people like to go after National Portrait Gallery
- 9.2
"My favorite area, beautiful location. Close to Leicester square, and several great food stops."
Chelsea Bradley - 9.4
"Absolutely love it!! Extensive collection of paintings from a multitude of different artists. Entrance is free ;)"
Alex Curiel - 8.7
"Very nice fountain and gardens. The place is the heart of London. Extremely crowded during weekend nights! People from all over the world meet there! :-)"
Andrea Lazzarini
Appears on 1,307 lists
Late nights at London museums and galleries
Created by Time Out London
21 items • 310 followers
Created by Charlie N
132 items • 1,340 followers
Created by Hiro A H R
117 items • 510 followers
