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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.

Live online

Thursday 18 April 2024 – Saturday 18 April 2026

Explore the collection from the comfort of you loungeroom. Join us for free, interactive, virtual collection tours. Examine portraits in depth with Gallery Educators delivered via Zoom, and chat, comment and ask questions just like the IRL experience. Videos of selected previous events are available too.

Eagle Ross (Ross Wilson)
Eagle Ross (Ross Wilson)
Eagle Ross (Ross Wilson)
Eagle Ross (Ross Wilson)

Virtual Highlight Tour

Rock Revolution: 80s

12:30pm, Tue 5 Nov
Live online

Get ready to rock out with us this week as we journey through the epic world of Aussie rock legends from the 80s!

Bookings required
Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal)
Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal)
Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal)
Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal)

Virtual Highlight Tour

Prose and Pose: Noonuccal to Missy

12:30pm, Tue 12 Nov
Live online

Welcome lovers of verse! Explore the intersection of literature and art as we delve into the words and works of renowned Australian poets and songwriters immortalised in the National Portrait Collection.

Bookings required
William, Randwick
William, Randwick
William, Randwick
William, Randwick

Virtual Highlight Tour

Talking Trailblazers

12:30pm, Tue 19 Nov
Live online

Join Australian National University researcher Harry Kilcullen as they explore groundbreakers of queer art and culture in the National Portrait Collection.

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

Virtual Highlight Tour

Double portraits

12:30pm, Tue 26 Nov
Live online

Join us as we take a deep dive into the world of double portraits. What will this unique form of portraiture reveal about the sitters and the artists?

Bookings required
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

Virtual Highlight Tour

Disability in the frame

12:30pm, Tue 3 Dec
Live online

This International Day of People with Disability, join us as we take a look at the collection and see how representation has changed over time.

Bookings required
1/2 length self portrait in mirror, wearing pyjama shirt, camera at shoulder height, 1979 Carol Jerrems
1/2 length self portrait in mirror, wearing pyjama shirt, camera at shoulder height, 1979 Carol Jerrems
1/2 length self portrait in mirror, wearing pyjama shirt, camera at shoulder height, 1979 Carol Jerrems
1/2 length self portrait in mirror, wearing pyjama shirt, camera at shoulder height, 1979 Carol Jerrems

Photography in focus

Virtual: Teacher Professional Learning

3:30pm, Thu 30 Jan
Live online

Join photo-historian Helen Ennis and Gallery educators as we launch our professional learning programs for 2025 with a free online session that explores ways to engage students with photography.

Bookings required
National Portrait Gallery forecourt with the Geo Face Distributor by James Angus
National Portrait Gallery forecourt with the Geo Face Distributor by James Angus
National Portrait Gallery forecourt with the Geo Face Distributor by James Angus
National Portrait Gallery forecourt with the Geo Face Distributor by James Angus

Virtual Highlight Tour

Surprise me!

12:30pm, Tue 4 Feb
Live online

For our first Virtual Highlight Tour of 2025, three of our Access and Learning team members have chosen a portrait to surprise each other and us! Join us for a lively discussion.

Bookings required
Helen Ennis
Helen Ennis
Helen Ennis
Helen Ennis

Virtual Highlight Tour

February Photography Focus

12:30pm, Tue 11 Feb
Live online

Join us for our first February Photography Focus. Helen Ennis, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University (ANU), and Harry Kilcullen, ANU researcher, delve into photography from the National Portrait Collection.

Bookings required
Bobbi Sykes, Black Moratorium, Sydney, '72, 1972 Carol Jerrems
Bobbi Sykes, Black Moratorium, Sydney, '72, 1972 Carol Jerrems
Bobbi Sykes, Black Moratorium, Sydney, '72, 1972 Carol Jerrems
Bobbi Sykes, Black Moratorium, Sydney, '72, 1972 Carol Jerrems

Virtual Highlight Tour

February Photography Focus: Carol Jerrems

12:30pm, Tue 18 Feb
Live online

Join us for an in-depth discussion about the work of influential photographer Carol Jerrems, whose work is on view in our major exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits.

Bookings required
where will the story take us, 2002-2024 (printed 2024) (detail) Katrin Koenning
where will the story take us, 2002-2024 (printed 2024) (detail) Katrin Koenning
where will the story take us, 2002-2024 (printed 2024) (detail) Katrin Koenning
where will the story take us, 2002-2024 (printed 2024) (detail) Katrin Koenning

Virtual Highlight Tour

February Photography Focus: Kumar, Koenning and Ang

12:30pm, Tue 25 Feb
Live online

Our February Photography Focus concludes with the work of three contemporary photographers – Ying Ang, Katrin Koenning and Anu Kumar – whose photographs are currently on view in if only we could take the time: contemporary Australian photography.

Bookings required

More events

Sunday 19 April 2026 – Tuesday 18 April 2028
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
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