The Portrait Gallery is like the younger sibling of the National Gallery. It sits right next door, yet has a less prominent location and general awareness. Most of my friends haven’t been here.

However, it is well worth a visit as it has portraits from King Henry 8 and earlier, to today. To follow it chronologically, you should start on the top floor and work your way down. It’s great to walk through the early rooms and get a feel for the history of England, but also the evolution of portrait painting and art.

The middle floors can overwhelm you with minor names from English history so they should be done quickly but some of the more modern stuff (Princess Diana, JK Rowling, etc) is really clever and interesting.

And, to top it all off, it’s free (well, do make a donation).

The National Portrait Gallery is wonderful, and shouldn’t be missed if you have any interest in history or in popular culture. I especially enjoy the Tudor portraits, particularly the Elizabeth I portraits. There is also a nice selection of “modern” portraits (both paintings and photographs).

This is a great place to stop, frequently. It’s free, and it’s open late on Thursdays and Fridays.

This gallery features portraits from the famous people in Britain ranging from royalty to celebrities. It also shows the work of the finest artists in the world. The gallery includes paintings, sculptures , drawings and photographs as part of its collection.
Best part, admission is free for all.

I don’t know how I made it 7 years in London without going to the National Portrait Gallery, but I corrected that yesterday. It’s fabulous.

Attached to the National gallery, the Portrait Gallery is a bit more modern inside. It’s spacious, appropriately lit, and an attractive interior all on its own without being ornate.

The title says it all: if you like paintings and photographs of people - and sometimes you do want to see human expressions rather than vague dabs of colour representing something abstract - then this is your place.

The place is helpfully categorised: some by age, some by subject. There are always special or touring exhibits, too: yesterday I saw “Brilliant Women” (paintings of 18th-century feminist writers and thinkers), photos by Yousuf Karsh, Donald MacLellan’s photos of black actors, Bryan Adams’s “Modern Muses”, and lots more.

And a special feature not everyone knows about: go to the Portrait Restaurant up on the 3rd floor. There’s a really nice panoramic view over the roof of the National Gallery and of the buildings around Trafalgar Square: Nelson’s Column, St Martin’s church, down to Big Ben, the Eye, etc. It’s a slightly fancy, and pricey, place, yes, but if you don’t want to drop £5 on scones and jam just have a cup of tea for £2.25 while you study the skyline.

I’m a big fan of this place. Personally I often prefer portraits to regular paintings, I don’t really know why, but I find you can learn a lot, especially about historical figures. The British section of the gallery is very good, and they often have temporary exhibitions as well, such as the recent Vanity Fair show. There is a lovely cafe and bookshop downstairs as well, so it can relly be a great day out.

Amazing gallery with an incredible collection of portraits. Second to The National Gallery in terms of majesty, but just around the corner from each other, so it should be high on your ‘to do’ list if visiting London.
Particularly impressive is the old British section, where you can see famous portraits of William Shakespeare; Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth 1 through the ages. You can learn a lot in this room! Also impressive are the modern Britons area; and British Literary hall, where portraits of the Bronte sisters, Dickens et al abound.
I would suggest visting this gallery on a separate day to the National Gallery to avoid gallery fatigue.
Great little cafe hidden underground and interesting bookstore.
A lovely Sunday afternoon outing!