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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Onsite at the Gallery

Friday 27 January 2023 – Saturday 27 January 2024

Onsite at the Gallery

Friday 27 January 2023 – Saturday 27 January 2024

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Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019
Collection display in Gallery Five, 2019

Collection display galleries

Exhibition open every day

The collection display includes a wide selection of portraits that tell extraordinary stories of encounter, exploration, independence, individuality and achievement in Australia.
Maria
Maria
Maria
Maria

WHO ARE YOU

Australian portraiture

Exhibition closes 29 January

Featuring 130 works across painting, film, photography, screen printing, sculpture, and then some – it explores our inner worlds, outer selves, intimacy, isolation, celebrity and more.
Maria
Maria
Maria
Maria

WHO ARE YOU: Australian Portraiture tour

11:15am, Daily until Sun 29 Jan

Join us in the Gallery for this free 30-minute tour exploring the exciting new exhibition WHO ARE YOU: Australian Portraiture.

Bookings available
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

2:15pm, Daily until Sun 29 Jan

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Bookings available
Children doing activities at a table in the gallery
Children doing activities at a table in the gallery
Children doing activities at a table in the gallery
Children doing activities at a table in the gallery

Family space

Who am I?

10:00am, Sat 17 Dec until Mon 30 Jan

We have free creative activities for families to enjoy together inspired by WHO ARE YOU: Australian Portraiture.
Portrait play
Portrait play
Portrait play
Portrait play

Portrait Play

My favourite things

10:30am, Tue 3 Jan until Fri 27 Jan

Join us in the Gallery this school holidays and explore portraits of people with the things they love.

Bookings required
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water

Culture Cruise

Presented by Australian Dance Party

10:30am, Sat 28 Jan

Travel via lake cruise on the stunning Lake Burley Griffin to Canberra's premiere cultural destinations: The National Portrait Gallery and The National Museum of Australia.

Bookings required
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

11:15am, 2:15pm, Daily from Mon 30 Jan until Thu 9 Mar

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Bookings available
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water
A person with long hair being blown by the wind, wearing a blue dress, while leaning over the edge of a boat on the water

Culture Cruise

Presented by Australian Dance Party

10:30am, Sat 4 Feb

Travel via lake cruise on the stunning Lake Burley Griffin to Canberra's premiere cultural destinations: The National Portrait Gallery and The National Museum of Australia.

Bookings required
Aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new SANAA-designed building, 2022
Aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new SANAA-designed building, 2022
Aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new SANAA-designed building, 2022
Aerial view of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ new SANAA-designed building, 2022

State-of-the-Art

Discover the art and architecture of Sydney Modern

7:00am, Thu 9 Feb

Join us for a day trip to see the transformation of the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW).

Bookings required
Judith Wright with Barbara Blackman
Judith Wright with Barbara Blackman
Judith Wright with Barbara Blackman
Judith Wright with Barbara Blackman

Audio described tour

1:00pm, Fri 17 Feb

Join us in the Gallery as we explore our collection with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Bookings required
Pop Up Choir. Photo Lona Logan.
Pop Up Choir. Photo Lona Logan.
Pop Up Choir. Photo Lona Logan.
Pop Up Choir. Photo Lona Logan.

Drawn in

Pop Up Choir

1:00pm, Sun 19 Feb

Draw while listening to the Pop Up Choir, singing songs that will leave your toes tapping and heart full.
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz

Little Faces

10:30am, Wed 22 Feb until Fri 24 Feb

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Bookings required
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz

Little Faces

9:30am, Fri 24 Feb

Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.

Bookings required
Minna Gilligan
Minna Gilligan
Minna Gilligan
Minna Gilligan

Workshop - Minna Gilligan

Collage and colour

10:30am, Sat 25 Feb

Join us in the Gallery with artist Minna Gilligan for a creative workshop exploring the story telling powers of colour and collage.

Bookings required
Two people at a bench covered in sheets of paper in a room with a wooden floor and a large brown couch
Two people at a bench covered in sheets of paper in a room with a wooden floor and a large brown couch
Two people at a bench covered in sheets of paper in a room with a wooden floor and a large brown couch
Two people at a bench covered in sheets of paper in a room with a wooden floor and a large brown couch

Enlighten

Spirits Shapeshifting

8:00pm, Fri 3 Mar until Mon 13 Mar

Spirits Shapeshifting blends watercolour and digital animation to bring vibrant beings to life amid botanical dreamscapes, atmospheric skies and kaleidoscopic visions.
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo

Portrait23: Identity

Exhibition opens 10 March

Portraiture. Not as you know it. We invite you to stretch, push, resist and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

12:15pm, Daily from Fri 10 Mar until Wed 31 May

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Bookings available
Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize
Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize
Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize
Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize

Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Exhibition opens 25 March

Little Darlings is for primary and secondary students, with four separate categories across Kindergarten to Year 12. Responding to the theme ‘identity’, students painted, drew, photographed, printed or combined all of these to make their portrait.
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize
Nine square images of previous winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023

Exhibition opens 17 June

The exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects. Entries are now open!

More events

Sunday 28 January 2024 – Monday 27 January 2025

Related information

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

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We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery

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© National Portrait Gallery 2023
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
Fax +61 2 6102 7001
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency