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

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

Pop on your colourful kit and join us in the Gallery to celebrate WorldPride. Reflect on your identity and make a colourful flag or fold an origami pocket heart. This is a free activity for families, friends, anyone and everyone!

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

Already longing to be back at the beach, swimming in the swell or riding a wave? Grab your sunscreen and join us to look at some of our favourite portraits of fellow sea lovers.

What makes creative couples tick? These short videos reveal an intimate portrait of the Huxleys, a unique couple whose romantic and creative lives intersect with chemistry, hard work, tension and magic.

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

Draw while listening to the Pop Up Choir, singing songs that will leave your toes tapping and heart full.

Join us – clothed or with your camera off – as we discuss the queer history of nude dudes in art.

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

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

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

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.

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

Join special guest Fijian poet and art activist Peter Sipeli as we celebrate WorldPride from a Pacific perspective.

Our Social Media and Content Coordinator, Georgina, will be taking a look at Patricia Piccinini by Allissa Oughtred.

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

Join us in the Gallery with award-winning artist, writer, composer and musician Matt Ottley for a screening of his latest work, The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness.

Join us as we celebrate science with a social conscious. We’ll be focusing on those in our collection who grabbed the opportunity to improve the quality of women’s health across the world.

We are beyond excited to invite our Circle of Friends members to an exclusive members-only preview of Portrait23: Identity.

Portraiture. Not as you know it. We invite you to stretch, push, resist and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Join us in the Gallery for a free 30-minute tour of Portrait23: Identity, as we stretch, push and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

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

Visit the Portrait Gallery after dark! We are keeping our doors open until 10:00pm to celebrate our latest exhibition Portrait23: Identity.

Join us for a special performance lecture commissioned for the Gallery's latest exhibition Portrait23: Identity.

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.

Bring your little ones and join artist Kate Beynon as she activates her Fantastic Faces Space! Kate has created 200 cushions with 31 colourful designs that you can arrange with her on the felt walls to create imaginative faces.

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Join us for a special performance lecture commissioned for the Gallery's latest exhibition Portrait23: Identity.

Unleash your creative side and show the world your unique style with a handmade paper doll!

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Join curators Penny Grist and Rebecca Ray for a look at some of the amazing artists in Portrait23: Identity! It’s portraiture, but not as you know it.

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Starting off 2023 with a bang is Curator, Collection and Research, Joanna Gilmour, who'll be taking you on a deep dive into portraits by painter, Judy Cassab.

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

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.

Pop on your smock and sturdy shoes and join us for a peek into where artists work. Whether inside, outside or out and about, we’ll look at the places they wield their tools and create.

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

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.

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.

Pull up a virtual chair and join us as we look at four dazzling daughters from our permanent collection!

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Put down the drop sheet and join us from your living room, as we dive deep into the minds behind loud colours, bold patterns and bright interiors.

We're back on again in April for the next of our Spotlight Series! This time Karena – our Exhibitions Manager – will be taking a look at Dr Joseph Brown with Two Typists by Noel McKenna.

Our popular art cart is back for the school holidays! Ponder your place in the world and reflect on your own identity by making your own ‘me tree’.

Draw while listening to Bella Groove as they play an assortment of originals alongside familiar jazz and blues tunes.

Explore portraits through drawing and creative activity in the galleries.

What’s all the fuss about? Grab a cuppa and join us as we look at three sitters in our collection who have, unwittingly or deliberately, created storms in teacups.

Rush in, slow down and take a looong look at a few portraits, then meet to share your thoughts and observations.

Join acclaimed Yarrenyty Arltere Artists who live and work in Mparntwe/Alice Springs in a creative walk up sewing workshop.

Explore portraits through drawing and creative activity in the galleries.

Awaken a sense of place and belonging and explore the National Portrait Gallery building and discover the award-winning design elements and cultural significance.

Grab your rucksack and join our Collection Administrator, Renee Joyce to explore the role of place in providing portraiture’s context and narrative.

Join Maxine Beneba Clarke as she reads her book Fashionista, leads us in craft activities and finishes in a flurry with a fashion parade finale!

Calling all fashionistas, fashion-resisters, fun lovers, fun makers and cool creators! Join Maxine Beneba Clarke as she reads her book Fashionista, leads us in craft activities and finishes in a flurry with a fashion face-off finale!

Explore our special exhibition Portrait23: Identity and the main collection before our usual opening hours. We welcome anyone of any age who would benefit from a more relaxed gallery experience. We’ll have low sensory spaces, quiet areas and a creative activity for families to enjoy together.

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Join a Portrait23: Identity conversation during May! This week artists Mark Smith and Ross Coulter discuss their artworks, processes and influences with curator Penny Grist.

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Listen along to Rhythm Syndicate’s musical offering of high energy jazz classics.

Ausdance ACT will be in the Gallery during Australian Dance Week to enhance your Portrait 23: Identity exhibition experience!

Stretch out and sit back as artist Taryn Gill discusses her artwork, process and influence with First Nations Curator Rebecca Ray.

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Fluff your mullet, squeeze into your jeans and join our Director Collection and Exhibitions Sandra Bruce, musician and producer Paul Greene, and musician George Bishop of El Horses fame for a local beer garden chat about this loud and sweaty exhibition.

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “Me” by Ken Done to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

To celebrate Reconciliation Week, our free highlights tours will focus on some remarkable, resilient and inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the collection, exploring our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

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!