Museums & Arts · Our pick in London
National Portrait Gallery
Faces of British history
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery, just off Trafalgar Square, tells the story of Britain through the faces of the people who shaped it, from Tudor monarchs to modern musicians and scientists. It reopened in 2023 after a major renovation, with a new entrance and rooftop restaurant. Exhibitions are ticketed. Charing Cross and Leicester Square stations are a few minutes’ walk away. Allow at least an hour, and combine a visit with the National Gallery next door.
Why it's on our list
- Tudor to today
- Reopened after renovation
- Photography and paintings
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with National Portrait Gallery before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to National Portrait Gallery, as the crow flies.
- The Londoner0.1 mi2 min walk
- Corinthia London0.3 mi6 min walk
- Ham Yard Hotel0.3 mi6 min walk
- Raffles London at The OWO0.3 mi7 min walk
- The Savoy0.3 mi7 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from National Portrait Gallery are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Charing CrossBakerlooNorthernNational Rail0.1 mi2 min walk
- Leicester SquarePiccadillyNorthern0.1 mi3 min walk
- Piccadilly CircusPiccadillyBakerloo0.3 mi6 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Whitcomb Street0.1 mi3 min walk
- Taxi rank, Hungerford Lane0.1 mi3 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Trafalgar Square0.1 miWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Leicester Square0.1 miWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Covent Garden0.3 miWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- London Eye0.6 miWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Westminster Abbey0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 8 min
- The British Museum0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Buckingham Palace0.9 miWalk 17 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Harrods1.6 miWalk 33 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 15 min
- The Shard1.8 miWalk 37 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Tower of London2.2 miWalk 45 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 20 min
Main rail terminals
- Charing Cross0.1 miWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Waterloo0.8 miWalk 15 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Victoria1.1 miWalk 22 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Euston1.3 miWalk 27 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras1.5 miWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 14 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)1.6 miWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 15 min
- London Bridge1.9 miWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Liverpool Street2.0 miWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Paddington2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min