National Portrait Gallery Reviews

Great gallery - probably one of the best I've ever visited! Can highly recommend!

A really fun experience to see the faces of your favorite authors and the characters you met along your studies

What a wealth of knowledge. Probably better going on your own if you mates just want to look and not learn anything. Really interesting and free entry. However you should tip for such a great free service!

Wonderful and greatful place to visit in any London trip. The gallery preserves a fantastic collection of portraits for Royals and great people siginficant to the nation. Highly recommend visiting it. Plus, it is free.

Very good collections and free for much of the displays

Beautiful grounds and expansive collection. Would highly recommend the restaurant for high tea as well!

Always great to visit & free, but please give a donation

This gallery explores and shows portraiture from about 1500 to the present time. There are free exhibitions from the permanent collection and special exhibitions that may, not always, have an entry charge. Most portraits are painted; there are also photographs and sculpture. The collections can be explored through digital records to find, for example, named sitters, artist and also less obvious themes such as family trees - look at the Gallery's website.
Sometimes special exhibition works spill over into the permanent collection galleries to illustrate connections of inspiration or age. This works well in the current special exhibition of the work of Elizabeth Peyton, beautiful and powerful portraits in free exhibition.
The main current special exhibition is Pre-Raphealite Sisters (until 26 January, 2020) that shows information about the sitters for the Pre-Raphaelite painters who were themselves accomplished in many ways. Fascinating.

This is definitely a place to visit. One of my favourite museums in London. Attention to details and biographies added for all portraits.

I had the chance to be there during a drawing master class, it was so amazing, a lady was playing harp while people were drawing and getting inspired by the surrounding paintings

Beautiful building and great exhibition. Open to 9pm Thursday and Friday with special events

I love this place. The permanent collection is IMHO one of London's most underrated treasures.

Very enjoyable. Relaxing and informative. Lovely tea and cake too! X

Gets busier as the day goes on. After lunch is a decent time. Good place to hang out when it rains.

One of the best galleries in London - what could be more interesting than pictures of people? A lot of the great stuff here is free. The annual BP portrait prize has to have some of the best current painting - again it's free! Nice place too, nice shop, and a DJ plays at the "lates".

Went there today and thoroughly enjoyed my experience. I was lucky enough to follow in a group with an historian who was both interesting and extremely knowledable. He made my visit most memorable. I visited on my own as it's something you need to see at your own pace.

Came for William Eggleston, but occasionally pop in to see some of the more stationary exhibitions. Lovely space, come in the week if you can to avoid the crowds.

Brilliant gallery which has such a variety of exhibitions. Always well curated & the book shop is a must visit before leaving!

An amazing gallery! Free entry. It's right next to the National Gallery, and you'll want to take your time to really appreciate both. If you can get one, I'd highly recommend a guided tour. Great history showcased through great art!

You need to come here! Also... sneaky tip...shhhhh *looks around*... They have public bathrooms in the basement. Good central London spot to keep in mind ;)

Excellent place to spend a couple of hours tracing historical figures and events.

BP awards is always worth a visit every year despite it being a "closed shop" competition for university graduates.

A great collection of the finest and most wonderful portraits in this world. I would highly recommend viewing HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall's portraits.
Also if you are in to the other Elizabethan period portraits, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I is on display. You can sit down on a chair and really marvel at the beauty!

A great place to learn of the history of the UK through portrait. Well worth a visit.

Interesting free museum. Some interesting art pieces but totally skippeable

There is a picture of Ed Sheeran. Completely free, are the portraits of all the royals that the United Kingdom has had, the very kind staff always willing to orient you if you are looking for a specific portrait

Disappointing at the price of the Cindy exhibit, thought we were trying to provide art to all.

It's got a great collection of portraits (hence the name). I don't find them as appealing as landscapes but you've got to appreciate the atmosphere of the place

Always an interesting place to visit. Free unless you want to go to one of the special exhibitions for which there is a charge. For first time visitors, visiting the free galleries will be a delightful experience. - and free!

Awesome place with the most historical paintings of important

Being a person who is very interested in historical eras and icons in them, this gallery never fails to disappoint. The art is so fascinating and well upkept, with art and new exhibitions being added fairly regularly. Staff are very welcoming and don't force donations out of you, which is comforting.

From the museums that definitely deserve to go for friends of the tables

I love the collection and every time I come back there are new pieces worth the trip. Amazing place

Beautifully laid out with lots of fabulous pictures, what's not to like?

Must see for anyone interested in fashion, and in London. Always a highlight seeing the blood sculpture or Marc Quinn which uses his own blood!

Amazing museum. The building is lovely the collection is fantastic. The audioguide totally worth it and well thought out.

Love this place from when I was child myself, now have different activities can bring child to and activities that make the gallery more fun for them .

Portraits, portraits everywhere totally cool portraits, totally boring portraits, all the in between portraits, period who is really cool because they had all the mediaeval tutor through matter portraits hanging I was totally impressed and would definitely recommend, and would give it a sixth stars if I could

First visit and enjoyed our walk round surprised my self about how much history i remembered from school.

The National Gallery's neglected neighbour round the back. It's not about great art but more about how every portrait tells an interesting story. Love this place.

It's free and you get to see some really great paintings

Went to the pre-raphaelite sisters exhibition. They and their men all produced similar art (you can tell that I was not taken with the exhibition) in a complicated social circle. Although revolutionary for Victorian England, I was left wondering what it was all about.

I frequently pop into this gallery for an hour or two. There is always something new to see and enjoy. I always try to attend the annual portrait awards (I believe they are still sponsored by BP). Quite apart from the incredible collection there is a charming cafe in the basement. Enjoy.

Beautiful art, super busy cafe. Lots of table hopping.

This gallery is fantastic, diverse types of art, free but donations always welcome and worth it, try it out.

Even my 7 year old loved it! Fold out chairs available or plenty of benches to sit on. Nice spacious rooms so doesn't feel claustrophobic or too crowded. Cafe was a bit overpriced though and food wasn't particularly suited to children in general. Better to just cross the road and have something to eat at one of the more family friendly restaurants about.

Very beautiful and diverse array of portraits available on display. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit and was surprised by some of the more iconic portraits I found here. I particularly liked the monarchs rooms as well as the contemporary portraits including some of my favourite celebrities. Would recommend visiting this gallery as a must see when you're in London. I spent about an hour and a half here and saw all the portraits available but if I went again I would slow down my pace and take my time absorbing all the wonderful art available.

Splendid place. Pre-Raphaelite Women exhibition was interesting, I learned a lot.

Fantastic! Loved the exhibition of women pioneers - suffragettes. The shop has a range of gorgeous cards, prints and other goodies. The cafe is cosy and they serve excellent coffees and a selection of gorgeous cakes. Victoria Sponge and Carrot Cake enthusiastically recommended!

Spent nearly 3hrs walking through the various galleries had a great day

My favourite Museum in LDN. The rooms are beautiful and with paintings everywhere you really get to know the history of this great country that England is. I Love it.

An excellent way to put faces into the stories you hear / read about British history.