Not everyone is interested in educational activities and entertainment, but for those that do, museums can be the pinnacle of enjoyment. The only thing better than a regular museum is a free one, and luckily for those living or travelling in the UK, there are many of these. Free museums are almost always just as good as the paid ones, as they are usually supported independently and therefore have a more focused approach. One of the best free museums in the country is the National Portrait Gallery in London.
This gallery is an incredible display of portraits of all sizes, shapes, types, methods, and time periods. You can find the portraits done by all your favourite 16th century portrait artists, or take a look at the more modern pictures. This museum has about 160 thousand portraits in all, each different from the next and all with a certain point of interest.
There are contemporary portraits of modern celebrities and people of our time. These portraits date back to the 90s and are often photographs or modern paintings. There are also 20th century collections, portraits from the 1900-1990 time periods, and often with weird and wonderful approaches.
Other periods of portraiture include Tudor, Stuart, Victorian, and Regency era masterpieces.
The incredible thing about visiting the National Portrait Gallery is that you get to see so many interesting and mysterious people preserved forever through art. Each portrait is different, capturing the soul of the subject in a unique way. Art students interested in painting techniques, portraiture, photography, and other aspects of the arts will be intrigued for hours at the variety and wealth of material.
Overall, the National Portrait Gallery is a great way to spend an afternoon, a whole day, or even a few days of fun and learning completely for free.