Portrait Gallery: a must-see in London

Visit National Portrait Gallery is a prestigious gallery located just off Trafalgar Square, in the heart of London.

Founded in 1856, it boasts one of the world's largest portrait collections.

Let's take a closer look.

Portrait Gallery : article summary

Portrait Gallery: at a glance

Throughout the year, it hosts exhibitions covering all forms of portrait art. Whether you want to see the permanent exhibitions or one of the temporary ones, you'll find it at the gallery.

You'll find photos by Annie Leibovitz, portraits by Twiggy, David Hockney and Gerhard Richter.

What can you expect at the National Portrait Gallery?

The National Portrait Gallery is located behind the National Galleryright next to Trafalgar Square. On arrival, the exterior looks deceptively small.

Once inside, however, you'll soon realize that it houses a vast collection of art. If you have any questions about how best to approach the gallery, you can contact to the staff at the information desk, who will be happy to advise you.

If you'd like to see a particular portrait, this is also a good place to find out where it is.

As the gallery is so large, I recommend that you think about what you'd like to see first.

Take advantage of audio guides at the Portrait Gallery

Audioguides of the gallery are available at the entrance. These are small, portable units with small screens displaying an interactive map.

There are five different themed tours, featuring royalty, writers, celebrities and scientists.

Audioguides are available in the following languages:

• English
• French
• Spanish
• German
• Italian
• Japanese

Souvenir shopping 

There are two stores inside the gallery: a bookshop and a gift store.

The bookshop is located in the basement of the building and offers books on British history, biography, art, costume and, of course, photography.

The gift store is on the first floor of the building and sells everything, from jewelry to stationery and posters.

It also offers a device called Portrait Printer. This lets you choose from over fifty thousand portraits and print one.

Discover the permanent collections

There's a vast collection of portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, covering everyone from Mary Queen of Scots to Damon Albarn of Blur.

For your convenience and for the sake of logic, the portraits in the permanent collections have been divided by room into the following categories:

• Tudor
• Stuart and the Civil War
• Georgian
• Regency
• Victorian and Elizabethan
• Twentieth century
• Contemporary

How to get to the Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is located between Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square. The metro is Leicester Square.

Leaving Leicester Square subway station. Turn left onto Charing Cross Road. You'll reach Place Saint-Martin in less than two minutes.

Here you'll find the gallery entrance on your right.

Portrait Gallery: what are the opening hours?

The National Portrait Gallery is open at the following times:

• Monday to Thursday 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How much do tickets cost?

In general, entry to the National Portrait Gallery is free. However, if you wish to see a particular exhibition that is not part of the permanent collection, you will need to purchase a ticket.

For more details on the prices of the various collections, please consult the official website of the National Portrait Gallery.

Where to eat in the gallery?

If you're feeling peckish, there are two dining options at the gallery. There's a café where you can grab something quick and affordable.

There is also a restaurant on the top floor of the gallery overlooking the city.

Portrait Gallery: the Portrait Cafe

Portrait Café is located on the first floor of the gallery. Designed by renowned architects Dixon Jones, it offers a bright, modern space for light meals.

The site remains open:

• Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Le Restaurant Portraits

The Portrait restaurant is on the top floor of the gallery, 28 m above the ground.

It's a nice place to sit if you want a perfect view of Nelson. at the top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.

You can also admire the view of :

• Visit Parliament
• Big Ben
• Visit London Eye

The cuisine at Portrait is modern British, with options such as smoked haddock and deviled kidneys.

Tea is a popular option at the National Portrait Gallery. However, the also serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and a bar menu.

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