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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.

What's on

Sunday 19 March – Friday 31 March 2023

Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019

Collection display galleries

Exhibition open every day

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

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 Sun 18 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 Fri 30 Jun

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

Bookings available
Rosemary Madigan
Rosemary Madigan
Rosemary Madigan
Rosemary Madigan

Virtual Highlights Tour

The artist’s studio

12:30pm, Tue 21 Mar
Live online

Pop on your smock and sturdy shoes and join us for a peek into where artists work. Whether inside, outside or out and about, we’ll look at the places they wield their tools and create.

Bookings required
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks

Audio described tour

1:00pm, Wed 22 Mar

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

Bookings required
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Exhibition opens 25 March

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.

A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water

Culture Cruise

Presented by Australian Dance Party

10:30am, Sat 25 Mar

Travel via lake cruise on the stunning Lake Burley Griffin to Canberra's premiere cultural destinations: The National Portrait Gallery and The National Museum of Australia.

Bookings required
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait

Virtual Highlight Tour

Dazzling Daughters

12:30pm, Tue 28 Mar
Live online

Pull up a virtual chair and join us as we look at four dazzling daughters from our permanent collection!

Bookings required
Me
Me
Me
Me

Little Faces

10:30am, Wed 29 Mar until Thu 30 Mar

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Bookings required
Me
Me
Me
Me

Little Faces

9:30am, 10:30am, Fri 31 Mar

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Bookings required

More events

Saturday 1 April – Thursday 13 April 2023
© National Portrait Gallery 2023
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
Fax +61 2 6102 7001
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