Museum
National Portrait Gallery, London
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The National Portrait Gallery, adjacent to the National Gallery, holds the world's largest collection of portraits of historically important and famous British individuals. Spanning from the Tudor period to the present day, the collection includes paintings, photographs, and sculptures of figures like William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, and David Bowie. The gallery's chronological layout allows visitors to trace British history through faces, with highlights including the Chandos portrait of Shakespeare and the iconic photo of the Beatles. Temporary exhibitions often focus on contemporary figures.
Don't miss
- The Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare (c. 1610)
- The Tudor portraits of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I
- The contemporary portraits of figures like Adele and Stephen Hawking
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit National Portrait Gallery, London
You can visit National Portrait Gallery, London on your own. A guide mainly adds context, what you are looking at and why it matters, and a tour can add transport or combine nearby sights into one day.
Cheapest way inOld Royal Naval College - home to the Painted Hall, Greenwich4.6★ · 179 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$24 per personSee dates →
Best full dayTower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Day Ticket4.4★ · 7,295 travelers~24 hoursFree cancellationFrom$51 per personSee dates →
Private & flexibleThe National Gallery of London - Exclusive Guided Museum Tour5★ · 112 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$111 per personSee dates →Getting there
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