What’s On At The National Portrait Gallery This Year?

The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) has announced its programme of major exhibitions for 2026, and it’s a varied one. From post-war British painting to contemporary photography, Hollywood mythology to explorations of queer identity, the programme spans a wide range of artists, subjects and perspectives.

‘At its heart, the National Portrait Gallery exists to tell the story of Britain through portraits, and this year’s programme reflects the extraordinary breadth of what portraiture can be and do,’ the NPG’s director Dr Flavia Frigeri tells C&TH. ‘From Lucian Freud’s intimate works on paper to Tim Walker’s fantastical photography and a centenary tribute to Marilyn Monroe, the exhibitions show how portraiture helps us understand who we are, who gets to be seen, and how we represent one another.’

Spanning historic painting, contemporary photography and portrait prizes, that range also reflects the Gallery’s identity today. As Frigeri explains, ‘The NPG understands portraiture as not being limited to any single medium or era, so that range is our identity. What we want visitors to experience is that conversation across time and form – to stand in front of a Lucian Freud etching and then encounter a Catherine Opie photograph, or works in our Tudor galleries and elsewhere in the Collection, and feel the resonance between them, even across very different aesthetic worlds. The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award and the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize are particularly important in this regard, because they bring in new talent and subjects continuously. That is the portrait tradition renewing itself in real time.’

Here’s what’s on the agenda in 2026.

NPG 7195 Bella in her Pluto T-Shirt (etching), 1995 (© The Lucian Freud Archive. All Rights Reserved (2025)/Bridgeman Images/National Portrait Gallery)

Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting

The first major exhibition of the year is dedicated to Lucian Freud’s lifelong preoccupation with the human face and figure. Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting focuses on the artist’s mastery of drawing in all its forms, from pencil and charcoal to etching, exploring how works on paper informed his paintings. Alongside a carefully selected group of major canvases, the exhibition also includes sketchbooks from the NPG Archive, offering insight into Freud’s working life and daily practice. It traces his development from observed drawings in the 1940s to the looser painterly approach that emerged in the 1950s, influenced in part by his friendship with Francis Bacon.

Details: 12 February–3 May 2026. Tickets start from £23pp for non-members.

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Chloe, 1993 (© Catherine Opie. Courtesy the artist, Regen Projects, Los Angeles and Thomas Dane Gallery)

Catherine Opie: To Be Seen

Also open now is Catherine Opie: To Be Seen – the first major UK museum survey of the American photographer’s work. Spanning more than three decades, the exhibition shows early self-portraits, portraits of LGBTQ+ friends and communities, and more recent Baroque-inspired portraits of artists. On a domestic level, Opie’s work questions representations of home and family; on a broader scale, it questions politics, identity and power structures. A series of interventions will place Opie’s photographs in dialogue with the Gallery’s permanent collection, exploring ideas of representation across centuries.

Details: 5 March – 31 May 2026. Tickets start from £19.50 for non-members.

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Marilyn Monroe, by Cecil Beaton, bromide print, 1956. Collection: National Portrait Gallery, NPG #40269

Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait

Marking the 100th anniversary of her birth, in summer 2026, the NPG will present Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait, exploring the life, career and cultural legacy of one of the most photographed women of the 20th century. ‘Marilyn Monroe was one of the most photographed people of the twentieth century, yet the complexity of who she was has often been obscured by the very images that made her famous,’ Frigeri explains. ‘This exhibition repositions Monroe as a creative force, focusing on photographers with whom she collaborated closely and revealing how she shaped the images that defined her legacy.’

The exhibition will present works by leading photographers and artists including Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty and Marlene Dumas. It will also include personal belongings, early studio images and photographs taken shortly before Monroe’s death in 1962, all offering a more intimate view of Monroe and insight into how her image was constructed, circulated and reinterpreted, and why she continues to exert such influence over contemporary culture.

Details: 4 June–6 September 2026. Tickets not yet on sale. Find out more at npg.org.uk

2025’s Shortlist: Cliff, Outreach Worker (2024) by Tim Benson; Memories (2024) by Martyn Harris; A Life Lived (2024) by Moira Cameron.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award

Returning for its 44th edition, the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award celebrates contemporary portrait painting at the highest level. One of the most significant platforms for portrait painters today, the prize attracts entries from around the world and showcases a wide range of approaches, from classical technique to more experimental forms. The exhibition offers a snapshot of where portraiture stands now and where it may be heading.

Details: 25 June–7 October 2026. Admission is free.

Harry Keita as Delphinium Fairy, London, 2022 © Tim Walker

Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends

Later in the year, the NPG will stage Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends, an exploration of queer identity, community and love through the lens of one of Britain’s most recognisable photographers. Walker rose to prominence in the ‘90s with his imaginative, dreamy, theatrical imagery, and in recent years he has spent time photographing activists, performers and artists connected to queer communities across Britain. The exhibition promises an immersive journey into Walker’s creative world, combining portraiture with fantasy and contemporary cultural commentary.

Details: 8 October 2026–31 January 2027. Tickets not yet on sale. Find out more at npg.org.uk

Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize

Closing the year, the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize once again shows the best in contemporary photographic portraiture. The competition highlights a diverse range of subjects and approaches, from formally commissioned portraits to spontaneous, intimate moments. For many visitors, it remains one of the most accessible and compelling exhibitions in the Gallery’s calendar.

Details: 29 October 2026–17 January 2027. Tickets not yet on sale. Find out more at npg.org.uk

National Portrait Gallery © David Parry

Do I Need Tickets For The National Portrait Gallery?

Entry to London’s National Portrait Gallery is free to all, providing access to the main collection. However, there is a charge for most exhibitions, tickets for which can be booked in advance at npg.org.uk or on the day upon arrival at the Gallery. Free tickets can be booked for general admission, which guarantees entry at busy times and often means you can skip a long queue. Membership offers unlimited access to paid exhibitions across the year, and you don’t need to book in advance – just flash your card at the entrance to the exhibition.

You can usually just arrive without having booked and gain access to the main gallery – but exhibitions often book up so we would recommend buying a ticket online in advance.

Timings

The NPG is open everyday from 10.30am to 6pm. It typically takes around two hours to see the Main Collection.

Where Is It?

The National Portrait Gallery is located at St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE, moments from Trafalgar Square.

The Corinthia London

Where To Stay Nearby

If you’re making a trip of it, there are several excellent hotels just a short walk away. Housed in a grand Victorian building, Corinthia London – known for its elegant rooms and its large, award-winning spa – is around five minutes away on foot. Or, set within a historic Regent Street landmark, Hotel Café Royal sits around eight minutes away near Piccadilly Circus, offering classic London glamour with contemporary interiors and home to several notable restaurants and bars, including the celebrated Cakes & Bubbles by Albert Adrià.