National Portrait Gallery

National Portrait Gallery, London, gallery of portraits of famous men and women in British history and culture, politics, sport, exploration, and science. It was founded in 1856 as the national collection of portraits of eminent British men and women. The purpose-built gallery, in St Martin's Place, was designed in the Neo-Classical style by Ewan Christian and was opened in 1896. The building, which has recently been expanded, now houses over 9,000 works and an immense archive.

The portraits in the collection range from those of early Tudor monarchs to contemporary actors and actresses, in every medium from oil painting to caricatures, silhouettes, sculpture, photography, and video. The works in the permanent collections are arranged chronologically, with each room having a particular historical theme. There are also changing displays, temporary exhibitions, and an annual portrait competition for young artists. The gallery continues to commission and acquire portraits of contemporary figures from all walks of life.

In May 2000 the new Ondaatje wing was opened. It was designed by architects Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones and cost £16 million, of which the Heritage Lottery Fund provided £12 million while the rest came from private donors, including the philanthropist Christopher Ondaatje, after whom the wing was named. The new development includes an IT (information technology) gallery where visitors can access 260,000 pictures and photographs.