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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

Tuesday 1 October – Thursday 31 October 2024

Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree

New acquisitions

In Gallery Two

Open every day

A collection display that showcases some recent major acquisitions including Nell and Julie Rrap.

Paradise won, 2024 Ryan Presley
Paradise won, 2024 Ryan Presley
Paradise won, 2024 Ryan Presley
Paradise won, 2024 Ryan Presley

Ryan Presley: Paradise won

On view until May 2025

Marri Ngarr artist Ryan Presley's site-specific commission Paradise won is prominently positioned at the Gallery’s entrance. This ambitious new work invites conversations about the ongoing legacies of colonisation and celebrates First Nations survival and autonomy.

Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue

Collection Highlights Tour

2:15pm, Daily until Sun 13 Oct

Join us in the Gallery for this free 30-minute tour of the collection, exploring portrait stories and the history of the building.

Bookings optional
William Nuttall with horses in field, 2023 Noel McKenna
William Nuttall with horses in field, 2023 Noel McKenna
William Nuttall with horses in field, 2023 Noel McKenna
William Nuttall with horses in field, 2023 Noel McKenna

Darling Portrait Prize 2024

Exhibition closes 13 October

The Darling Portrait Prize is a biennial national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG.

Bookings available
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

Exhibition closes 13 October

The National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 celebrates established and emerging artistic talent from across the country.

Bookings available
Viewing Silent Strength by Wayne Quilliam from the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022
Viewing Silent Strength by Wayne Quilliam from the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022
Viewing Silent Strength by Wayne Quilliam from the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022
Viewing Silent Strength by Wayne Quilliam from the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022

The Prizes Highlights Tour

11:15am, Wed 26 Jun until Sun 13 Oct

Join us on a 30-minute tour of this year's Darling Portrait Prize and National Photographic Portrait Prize to explore the links between portraiture and identity through diverse representations of Australians and Australian life.

Bookings available
Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman

Olympic state of mind

In Gallery Three

Open every day

To mark the 2024 Paris Olympics, we are showcasing collection works that celebrate some of the exceptional athletes who have represented Australia at the Games over its long history.

Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams

Joan Ross

Those trees came back to me in my dreams

Exhibition closes 2 February

The exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic exhibition by acclaimed contemporary artist Joan Ross. Transforming scenes from colonial artworks through a digital ‘cut and paste’ technique and her signature fluorescent yellow, Ross explores critical issues like climate change, greed and consumerism.

Some lads #1
Some lads #1
Some lads #1
Some lads #1

Some Lads

In Gallery Four

Open every day

The Some Lads series powerfully and playfully depicts Russell Page, Larrakia man Gary Lang, Muruwari man Matthew Doyle, and Graham Blanco, a descendant of the Mer (Murray Island) people.

Art Cart - children drawing in the gallery
Art Cart - children drawing in the gallery
Art Cart - children drawing in the gallery
Art Cart - children drawing in the gallery

Art Cart

Bright brooches: banksias and butterflies

10:00am, Sun 22 Sep until Sun 15 Dec

Drop into the Gallery this Spring for free creative activities inspired by our vibrant exhibition Joan Ross: Those trees came back to me in my dreams.

Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue

Gallery One

Open every day

Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this salon-style hang references the lavish 18th- and 19th-century European salons where paintings were hung floor-to-ceiling.

Portrait Play
Portrait Play
Portrait Play
Portrait Play

Portrait Play

Strike a pose!

10:30am, Mon 30 Sep until Fri 4 Oct

Step into the Gallery these school holidays and join us for Portrait Play.

Bookings required
Billy Hughes bottle stopper
Billy Hughes bottle stopper
Billy Hughes bottle stopper
Billy Hughes bottle stopper

Virtual Highlight Tour

Pottering with portraits

12:30pm, Tue 1 Oct
Live online

From glazed gazes to fired forms, potter about portraiture with us and discover an assortment of ceramic portraits from the National Portrait Collection.

Bookings required
Story Time
Story Time
Story Time
Story Time

Story Time

This Small Blue Dot

10:30am, Wed 2 Oct

Join us for a reading of Zeno Sworder’s delightful book This Small Blue Dot, where a young girl embarks on an exploration of the big and small things in life.

Bookings required
Portrait Play
Portrait Play
Portrait Play
Portrait Play

Portrait Play

Strike a pose!

10:30am, Tue 8 Oct until Fri 11 Oct

Step into the Gallery these school holidays and join us for Portrait Play.

Bookings required
Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams
Those trees came back to me in my dreams

Virtual Highlight Tour

Joan Ross: Those trees came back to me in my dreams

12:30pm, Tue 8 Oct
Live online

Join us for this very special tour of Joan Ross: Those trees came back to me in my dreams.

Bookings required
Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl
Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl
Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl
Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl

October Spotlight Series

10:15am, Wed 9 Oct

For our October Spotlight, we welcome Jamie Turbet, Exhibitions Coordinator, who will be focussing on Rosemary Valadon’s Portrait of Ruth Cracknell as the Sibyl 1995.

Bookings required
Viewing the National Photographic Prize 2024
Viewing the National Photographic Prize 2024
Viewing the National Photographic Prize 2024
Viewing the National Photographic Prize 2024

Relaxed morning

9:00am, Sun 13 Oct

Visit us early to explore the collection quietly and see the Darling Portrait Prize and National Photographic Portrait Prize before they close.

Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue
Lowitja O'Donoghue

Collection Highlights Tour

11:00am, 2:00pm, Daily from Mon 14 Oct until Sat 30 Nov

Join us in the Gallery for this free 30-minute tour of the collection, exploring portrait stories and the history of the building.

Bookings optional
Habitat of monstera II (Self-portrait with yellow paisley jacket), 2023 Bahman Kermany
Habitat of monstera II (Self-portrait with yellow paisley jacket), 2023 Bahman Kermany
Habitat of monstera II (Self-portrait with yellow paisley jacket), 2023 Bahman Kermany
Habitat of monstera II (Self-portrait with yellow paisley jacket), 2023 Bahman Kermany

Virtual Highlight Tour

Staff favourites

12:30pm, Tue 15 Oct
Live online

Join us as our team share some of their favourite portraits in this year’s Darling Portrait Prize and National Photographic Portrait Prize.

Bookings required
Matt Finch, 2017 by Sue Olliver
Matt Finch, 2017 by Sue Olliver
Matt Finch, 2017 by Sue Olliver
Matt Finch, 2017 by Sue Olliver

Virtual Highlight Tour

Portraits of queer futurity

12:30pm, Tue 22 Oct
Live online

Join Matt Finch as he considers three portraits in the collection that offer different gateways to worlds beyond, blending past, present and future.

Bookings required
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces

Little Faces

10:30am, Wed 23 Oct

Do we have a treat for the smaller humans in your life! Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Bookings required
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces

Little Faces

10:30am, Thu 24 Oct

Do we have a treat for the smaller humans in your life! Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Bookings required
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces
Little Faces

Little Faces

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

Do we have a treat for the smaller humans in your life! Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Bookings required
Amber Creswell Bell
Amber Creswell Bell
Amber Creswell Bell
Amber Creswell Bell

Book launch

About Face by Amber Creswell Bell

2:00pm, Sat 26 Oct

In collaboration with The Curatoreum, we invite you to celebrate the launch of Amber Creswell Bell’s newest book, About Face: Contemporary Portrait Painting in Australia and New Zealand.

Bookings required
Helen Garner
Helen Garner
Helen Garner
Helen Garner

Virtual Highlight Tour

Through their eyes

12:30pm, Tue 29 Oct
Live online

This week, join Social Media & Content Coordinator Georgina Holt as she takes you through three contemplative portraits of Australians who have borne witness to some of the country’s, and the world’s, darkest moments.

Bookings required

More events

Friday 1 November – Saturday 30 November 2024
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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