The National Portrait Gallery is located just a few steps from Trafalgar Square and a 5-minute stroll from Charing Cross underground station. If you want to know the who’s who of British icons and legends, this is where you will find them all. Housing the worlds largest collection of portraits, which is nearly 200,000, the gallery provides an artistic lens on Britain through the ages. You’ll spot everyone from Florence Nightingale, The Beatles and Kate Middleton to a sketch of Jane Austen and the famous ‘Chandos Portrait’ of William Shakespeare. And it’s not only paintings you will see on display but also photographs, drawings, sculptures and caricatures, which are not necessarily outstanding works of art but hold great historic value and significance. The chronological arrangement of the gallery allows visitors to journey through Britain’s history as they move from room to room. It is definitely worth a visit and with free admission, it’s the perfect way to while away a few hours. When your finished here why not visit the neighbouring National Gallery where you can view a further 2,300 paintings!
