National Portrait Gallery (London)

The National Portrait Gallery was the first of its kind in the world, established by eminent Victorians, such as Thomas Carlyle, to provide likenesses of the great individuals that influence and drive history (one of his pet theories). Of course in 150 years the notion of what it means to be a great Briton has changed somewhat as we live in an age of celebrity and even instant celebrity. Quite what Carlyle would have made of the artworks of David Beckham and David Starkey, we can only speculate. I suspect there will be iamgery of Jade Goody soon? However, the truth is the gallery needs to have its pulse on contemporary society rather than become a static ...  Read the complete review

The National Portrait Gallery is located on St. Martin's Place in central London and is found close to the National Gallery. It is only a few minutes walk from Leicester Square. The gallery houses over 1000 portraits of men and women from the Middle Ages right up to the present day. The museum is fairly easy to navigate and you can pick up a free map as you enter the museum which will assist you to find your way around. The rooms are also well signposted and there are lots of gallery attendants who will be able to assist you as you walk around. For a very reasonable £2 you can also get an audio guide which gives you commentaries as walk around. It also ...  Read the complete review

We visited the National Portrait Gallery between Christmas and New Year, and found it to be a very enjoyable experience. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, well presented and courteous. A dissapointingly rare thing these days. The building was well signed inside, yet seemed rather hidden away. A lot of official-looking people in Trafalgar Square kept directing us to the National Gallery which is not the same thing. It could certainly benefit from improved signs outside. The building is well laid out inside were clearly marked sections. It was clean and well presented. I found some of the areas (particularly the 1960+ area) to be ...  Read the complete review

What made Britain great? It might have something to do with our former empire or the Industrial Revolution, but what made Britain really great was the cast of larger than life characters from the monarchy to scientists, explorers and writers that make up British ands English History. When in central London recently I thought I would celebrate the people that made Britain glorious by visiting the National Portrait Gallery right in the centre of London. It is celebrating its 150th anniversary so I thought I would visit it in this important year. The National Portrait Gallery is very easy to get to. The nearest tube station is Charring Cross-although Embankment ...  Read the complete review

Now, I would hate for you to get the idea that I am a philistine - I appreciate a decent painting as much as the next man - but I must confess that given the choice between an afternoon in the pub and a trip to one of the West End's galleries, I tend to go for Guinness rather than Gauguin. Thus it was that, more than two years after moving to London, I had yet to visit the National Portrait Gallery. I'd love to say that I had a sudden desire for self-improvement but, as is so often the case, it was all down to a woman; more specifically, my newly acquired art-student girlfriend. "Accompany you to the NPG this weekend, ma chere? I'd love ...  Read the complete review