The National Portrait Gallery tells the story of Britain through portraits, using art to bring history to life and explore living today. It was founded in 1856 and has been in its current home of St Martin’s Place since 1896.
The NPG houses the world’s greatest collection of portraits, spanning six centuries, including the present day. The artworks reveal the inspiring and sometimes surprising personal stories that have shaped, and continue to shape a nation - from global icons to local champions, national treasures to unsung heroes.
It’s an institution that is passionate about portraiture, always progressing the art form, championing artists and encouraging creativity. It celebrates the power of portraiture to create person-to-person connections and it offers encounters with some of the world’s greatest artists, and the very best in contemporary art.
Following a three-year closure and major redevelopment, the NPG officially re-opened on 22nd June 2023 with a global campaign that achieved a staggering 4 billion reach. The mission of the ‘Inspiring People’ redevelopment project was to transform the gallery’s building, re-present its collection to tell more inclusive stories and redefine its brand. In its first five months, the NPG achieved over one million visitors.
