The Darling Prize is a new annual prize for Australian portrait painters, painting Australian sitters. The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.

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.

Experience the very best new portrait paintings and photographs from across Australia.

Using ochres collected on her country in Western Australia’s East Kimberley, Shirley Purdie’s self-portrait is a kaleidoscope of traditional Gija stories and Ngarranggarni (Dreaming) passed down to her.

Celebrate the people, places and sounds of Australian pub rock and its enduring impact on our nation’s identity.

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

An educational and fun 14-day adults’ introduction to portraiture.

All visitors must pre-book for one of the hourly sessions that are available daily. Each session will have a limited number of people allowed.

Lust and longing, drama and devotion, seduction and scandal! Delve into an enticing array of tales of the heart.

It’s like Oxford St online! Join us for an exploration of gender, performance and queerness as we take a look at three provocative, and sometimes transgressive, Australian icons.

Be the first to view our new exhibition. Join members of our team for a special tour and see the people, places and sounds that defined Australian pub rock in the 70s and 80s.

Learning Facilitator Carolyn Eccles will take us on a gentle wander through the National Portrait Gallery's collection, as we re-examine the meanings of the word 'home' and how we define ourselves in the places and contexts that we find it in.

Music and art share many attributes – line, rhythm, dynamics, mood and storytelling, to name a few. This tour will explore some portraits that link these two art forms.

Be the first to view our new exhibition. Join members of our team for a special tour and see the people, places and sounds that defined Australian pub rock in the 70s and 80s.

Be the first to view our new exhibition. Join members of our team for a special tour and see the people, places and sounds that defined Australian pub rock in the 70s and 80s.

Learning Facilitator Carolyn Eccles will take us on a gentle wander through the National Portrait Gallery's collection, as we re-examine the meanings of the word 'home' and how we define ourselves in the places and contexts that we find it in.

Crowd surf to get up front with curator Jo “Frock on” Gilmour and exhibition manager Sheridan “The Flame” Burnett as they take you backstage on Australia’s Pub Rock scene.

Dancers Tammi Gissell, Natasha Lee Rogers and Emma Laverty join to present a performance of unity and celebration of culture on Ngunnawal land. Accompanied by violinist Michael Liu.

Layne Beachley, Jim Conway and Gurrumul Yunupingu’s portraits evoke both the visible and the invisible. Through the portraits and life experience of both subjects and artists in the collection, this tour will consider what is ‘invisible disability’.

The aspect of someone's character that is perceived by others is made richer when we consider that it also refers to a role or character inhabited by an actor. We look at three performing artists' portraits in three contrasting media.

Your backstage pass to sensational stories about Canberra’s Pub Rock scene with Chris Shakallis (Young Docteurs), Julia Ford (The Framed) and Fiona Edge (keeper of the ‘Pling archive)

Pack your snacks and get prepped for a highlights tour as we explore the idea of adventure! Along the way we’ll meet some amazing faces and journey to different times and places.

There’s nothing quite like Storytime! Snuggle up with your favourite small person and join us for a live-streamed reading of Shaun Tan’s ‘The Lost Thing.’