National Portrait Gallery, London

　　The National Portrait Gallery of the UK is located next to Trafalgar Square in London. It is a portrait art gallery in Britain and opened to the public in 1856. It is the world’s first portrait gallery, collecting portraits of historically important and famous British figures.

　　The collection at the National Portrait Gallery now includes over 10,000 items, comprising photographs, drawings, paintings, sketches, and sculptures. For the National Portrait Gallery, its founding principle is historical rather than artistic — it values the status and influence of the individuals depicted more than the artistic merit of the works themselves. Above the main entrance are three half-relief busts of men who made outstanding contributions to the establishment of the gallery. The one in the center is Philip Henry Stanhope, the founder of the National Portrait Gallery, and on either side are his two staunchest supporters, Thomas Babington Macaulay and Thomas Carlyle.

　　The gallery’s collection features celebrities from various fields in Britain, such as Henry VII, Edward VI, Shakespeare, Elizabeth II, and Lucian Freud. In addition, the National Portrait Gallery organizes the annual BP Portrait Award.

　　National Portrait Gallery, London Reason to visit: The world’s earliest portrait gallery Continent: Europe【Europe】 Country/Region: Britain[Britain] Province/State: Greater London [Greater London] City: London [London]