The National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 by three men, Philip Henry Stanhope, Thomas Babington Macaulay and Thomas Carlyle. Stanhope had campaigned for 10 years for the founding of a Portrait Gallery, eventually Queen Victoria's approval for the establishment was given and the House of Commons voted to give a sum of £20,000 towards the venture.

Stanhope went on to be a Trustee of the Gallery alongside Macaulay, Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Ellesmere who donated a portrait of Shakespeare thought to be painted by Chandos, this was the first portrait in the Gallery's collection.

Paintings in the Gallery were to be judged on their history rather then their art merit, a criterion that is still used today. It was also decided that the Gallery should not feature portraits of those still living, or those who had been dead for at least 10 years, excepting Royalty, this rule was abolished in 1969. For almost 40 years the Gallery was without a permanent home and was relocated various times from its first home on Great George Street to South Kensington to Bethnal Green before reaching its current home in St Martin's Place.

The gallery was designed in a Florentine Renaissance style, however the architect Ewan Christian was respectful towards the design of the adjacent National Gallery. Spanish and Italian design was the main inspiration for Christian's design, however, he did not lived to see the building completed; without any fanfare the doors opened to the public in 1896, and after 40 years the National Portrait Gallery was truly born. By 1903 the gallery's collection was already outgrowing its new home, and appeals were made to expand on the building. However, plans were dropped with the onset of the First World War. Finally, in 1933 King George V opened the Duveen Wing.

Today the National Portrait Gallery still houses the majority of the original collection but has expanded its portfolio to include a department of film and photography and numerous new galleries. During 2005 over 1.5 million visitors flowed through its doors to see over 100,000 portraits including works by David Bailey, Frederick Bacon, Cassandra Austen, John Constable, Henry Moore, Lord Snowdon and Sylvia Pankhurst to name but a few. Photography has become an integral part of the Gallery's collection and the Gallery hosts the annual Photographic Portrait Prize.

In addition to its permanent collection the Gallery houses temporary exhibitions, touring exhibitions, films, talks, courses and family events, you can find more about these the relevant sections on our homepage.

The National Portrait Gallery is open daily from 10am till 6pm with late night opening on Thursdays and Fridays till 9pm. The Gallery is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Find out more about the National Portrait Gallery.

How to get there

The closest underground stations to the National Gallery are at Charring Cross and Leicester Square. If travelling by bus the 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 77A, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176 and 453 all serve the nearby Trafalgar Square.

Image © National Portrait Gallery, London