The collection display includes a wide selection of portraits that tell extraordinary stories of encounter, exploration, independence, individuality and achievement in Australia.

From Shakespeare to Winehouse, Darwin to Dickens, the Beatles, Brontë sisters and Beckham, the National Portrait Gallery London holds the world’s most extensive collection of portraits.

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Let’s discuss what is happening in and out of the image in a fun investigation discovering portraiture tropes from 1929 onwards.

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

To celebrate Reconciliation week, our free highlights tours will reflect on Australia’s history of challenges and change, and the people who drove us forward.

Join Associate Curator, Rebecca Ray and Curator, Collection & Research, Joanna Gilmour as they explore First Nations activists in our collection, celebrating their continual culture, identity, strength and resilience.

Join Pure Pod founder, Kelli Donovan, and repurpose your own pair of jeans.

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

The remarkable story of one of the true icons of our time, Vivienne Westwood. PG (2018), Directed by Lorna Tucker, 83min.

From pearls, jewels and silk to a self-portrait all about flesh, join us for a feast of portraits from Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London where opulence, prowess and oil painting collide. This program will be audio described.

Come on a journey of exploration to celebrate World Oceans Day! Join artists Dr Sarah Kachovich, Megan Cope and Jiani Sheng in conversation with NPG Exhibitions Curator Penny Grist.

Calling all glam-punks, royal-rebels and glitzy-queens! You’re invited to an outrageous party at ours!

Draw while listening to the Uccellini Recorder Ensemble.

Join us for our film series exploring themes, stories and lives celebrated in our special exhibition Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London.  

As we approach the end of our time with Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London, let’s get all spooky, light our candelabras and delve into the stories of those in the exhibition who met a gruesome, untimely end...

Listen in on our tour for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Join us in the Gallery as we explore artworks from our special exhibition, Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London with audio descriptions.

Canberra’s premiere literary theatre company, Lakespeare, returns to the Gallery with a new performance to bring to life the great works of the poets, novelists, orators and inspiring minds featured in Shakespeare to Winehouse.

Canberra’s premiere literary theatre company, Lakespeare, returns to the Gallery with a new performance to bring to life the great works of the poets, novelists, orators and inspiring minds featured in Shakespeare to Winehouse.

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

The Darling Portrait Prize is a national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG (1921-2015). The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.

The exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.

Little Darlings is for primary and secondary students, with four separate categories across Kindergarten to Year 12. Responding to the theme ‘identity’, students painted, drew, photographed, printed or combined all of these to make their portrait.

Experience the very best new portrait paintings and photographs from across Australia.

Dive into the world of frills, feathers and fatigues as we discuss the importance of costume in Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Join Australian photography curator, historian and writer, Helen Ennis for a conversation about photographers challenging the conventions of personal and public space in their portraits.

Calling on Canberra Cathies! Help celebrate Canberra’s sixth The Most Wuthering Heights Day ever and our special exhibition, Shakespeare to Winehouse, featuring a beautiful portrait of the Brontë sisters.

This school holidays, remember to hop (like Peter Rabbit) into our play plot! Inspired by Beatrix Potter’s portrait in our special exhibition, Shakespeare to Winehouse.

Explore the main collection before our usual opening hours. We welcome anyone of any age who would benefit from a more relaxed gallery experience. We’ll have low sensory spaces, quiet areas and a creative activity for families to enjoy together.

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Featuring more than two-hundred works by Australian artists, the exhibition explores our inner worlds and outer selves, as well as issues of sociability, intimacy, isolation, celebrity and ordinariness.