Tucked behind the National Gallery and facing St Martin in the Fields, the National Portrait Gallery was established in 1856 and provides a separate and rather pleasant space for some of our treasured portraits, including every monarch from Henry VII to the Queen.

From William Shakespeare to Frank Bruno, the gallery is stuffed with popular icons and there are also some priceless masterpieces such as self portraits by William Hogarth and Sir Joshua Reynolds. The gallery has a constantly changing programme including the annual BP Award for new portraits.

A lovely place for a quick visit, not as essential as the main National, but beautiful and sometimes very funny.