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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Onsite at the Gallery

Monday 29 May 2023Tuesday 28 May 2024

Onsite at the Gallery

Monday 29 May 2023 – Tuesday 28 May 2024

Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman

At ease

In Gallery One

Exhibition closes 27 August

Enjoy, sit back, and relax with some of our favourites from the Gallery’s collection, where they find themselves expertly – and comfortably – captured by their artists.

Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo

Portrait23: Identity

Exhibition closes 18 June

Portraiture. Not as you know it. We invite you to stretch, push, resist and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa

Portrait 23: Identity tour

11:15am, Fri 10 Mar until Fri 16 Jun

Join us in the Gallery for a free 30-minute tour of Portrait23: Identity, as we stretch, push and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Bookings available
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

2:15pm, Daily until Sun 31 Dec

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

Bookings available
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard

The Iconoclasts

In Gallery Three

Exhibition open every day

Australian portraiture of the mid-twentieth century was rich with the influence of European modernism, exemplified by the work of artists including Arthur Boyd, Judy Cassab and Clifton Pugh.

Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley

The Cosmopolitans

In Gallery Two

Exhibition closes 31 March

Spanning the 1880s to the 1930s, this collection display celebrates the innovations in art – and life – introduced by the generation of Australians who travelled to London and Paris for experience and inspiration in the decades either side of 1900.

A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil

Art Cart

May June 2023

10:00am, Wed 3 May until Sun 18 Jun

Ponder your place in the world and reflect on your own identity by making your own ‘me tree’.

Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman

Reconciliation Week highlights tours

Be a Voice for Generations

2:15pm, Sat 27 May until Sat 3 Jun

To celebrate Reconciliation Week, our free highlights tours will focus on some remarkable, resilient and inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the collection, exploring our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

Bookings available
Self portrait, 2022 RJ Parker
Self portrait, 2022 RJ Parker
Self portrait, 2022 RJ Parker
Self portrait, 2022 RJ Parker

Gulgawarnigu

Thinking of something, someone

Exhibition opens 3 June

In partnership with Big hART we are proud to present Gulgawarnigu - Thinking of something, someone, a national presentation of digital artworks created from Ngarluma country leramagadu (Roebourne), in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Alison Alder wearing a paint splattered apron, leaning against a bench in her studio
Alison Alder wearing a paint splattered apron, leaning against a bench in her studio
Alison Alder wearing a paint splattered apron, leaning against a bench in her studio
Alison Alder wearing a paint splattered apron, leaning against a bench in her studio

Printed Portraits with Alison Alder

Megalo Print Studio

10:00am, Sat 3 Jun

In this hands-on workshop with Alison, discover more about her work as she teaches you the process of screen printing to create a portrait of someone who inspires you.

Bookings required
Self portrait, 2022 Ella Mack
Self portrait, 2022 Ella Mack
Self portrait, 2022 Ella Mack
Self portrait, 2022 Ella Mack

Digital-portrait drawing workshop

For teachers and museum educators

10:30am, Sat 3 Jun

Calling all teachers and museum educators! Celebrate the joyous exhibition, Gulgawarnigu – Thinking of something, someone with a digital-portrait drawing workshop.

Bookings required
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation

Audio described tour

1:00pm, Wed 7 Jun

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Bookings required
Gracenotes
Gracenotes
Gracenotes
Gracenotes

Drawn in

Gracenotes

1:00pm, Sun 11 Jun

Draw while listening to Gracenotes as they sing an eclectic mix of harmonies inspired by contemporary, traditional folk, gospel and American genres.

Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023

Exhibition opens 17 June

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. Entries are now open!

Bookings available
Tamara Dean
Tamara Dean
Tamara Dean
Tamara Dean

Panel discussion

A judge’s eye

10:30am, Sat 17 Jun

Join us in the Gallery to hear from the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023 judges Tamara Dean, Daniel Boetker-Smith, and our very own Joanna Gilmour, as they discuss the artworks and themes in this year’s Prize.

Bookings required
Maybe Today Kris Anderson
Maybe Today Kris Anderson
Maybe Today Kris Anderson
Maybe Today Kris Anderson

Lecture and workshop

Concept, Capture, Craft - The Art of Idea Visualisation with Kris Anderson

2:30pm, Sat 17 Jun

Join award-winning photographer Kris Anderson as he talks about his creative process, and reveals techniques you can use for your own work.

Bookings required
National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023
National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023
National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023
National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023

National Photographic Portrait Prize highlights tour

11:15am, Mon 19 Jun until Mon 2 Oct

Join us in the Gallery for this free 30-minute tour of the 2023 National Photographic Portrait Prize to hear more about the artist’s vision and stories of their subjects.

Bookings available
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Little Faces

10:30am, Wed 28 Jun until Thu 29 Jun

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

Bookings required
Portrait play
Portrait play
Portrait play
Portrait play

Portrait Play

10:30am, Mon 3 Jul until Fri 14 Jul

Explore portraits through drawing and creative activity in the galleries.

Bookings required
Ngayulu Minyma Tjanpinya, I am a Tjanpi Woman
Ngayulu Minyma Tjanpinya, I am a Tjanpi Woman
Ngayulu Minyma Tjanpinya, I am a Tjanpi Woman
Ngayulu Minyma Tjanpinya, I am a Tjanpi Woman

NAIDOC Portraits - For Our Elders

School group bookings

3:15pm, 4:15pm, Mon 17 Jul until Fri 21 Jul

Celebrate NAIDOC with First Nations portraiture during a live National Portrait Gallery program.

Bookings required
Aussie Icon: Portrait of Jenny Kee
Aussie Icon: Portrait of Jenny Kee
Aussie Icon: Portrait of Jenny Kee
Aussie Icon: Portrait of Jenny Kee

Audio described tour

1:00pm, Fri 21 Jul

Join us in the Gallery as we explore collection, exploring the artworks with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Sighted companions and guide dogs are more than welcome.

Bookings required
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Little Faces

9:30am, Wed 26 Jul until Thu 27 Jul

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

Bookings required
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Little Faces

9:30am, 10:30am, Fri 28 Jul

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

Bookings required
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Little Faces

9:30am, Wed 23 Aug until Thu 24 Aug

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

Bookings required
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Little Faces

9:30am, 10:30am, Fri 25 Aug

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

Bookings required

More events

Wednesday 29 May 2024 – Thursday 29 May 2025
© National Portrait Gallery 2023
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency