National Portrait Gallery

Westminster

2 upcoming events

National Portrait Gallery occupies the heart of Covent Garden with what's arguably the world's best portrait collection. It's not a place for blockbuster shows; the programming centres on portraiture itself, looking seriously at how you capture a face or a moment of recognition. You'll find competitions, exhibitions that ask what a portrait actually does. The crowd's mixed: people flowing through from Leicester Square, but also Londoners who want to think about something while they're looking. It's the kind of place where you can spend time with a single painting and come away understanding something you didn't before: what makes a portrait work, what stays with you when it's done well.

Upcoming at National Portrait Gallery

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Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends

Thu 8 Oct

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Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize 2026

Thu 5 Nov

Nearby venues

• Jumunjy Bar TR12 7AY
• The National Gallery WC2N 5DN
• At The Hampshire Soho
• Garrick Theatre London
• Westminster Music Library WC2H 7HP
• Charing Cross Library WC2H 0HF
• First Light Festival NR33 0DF
• The Garrick Arms Soho