National Portrait Gallery Tours and Activities

Discover the grandeur of London aboard the open-top, double-decker Big Bus on this hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour. With your 1-, 2-, or 3-day ticket, design a personal itinerary with stops including Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral and more. Enjoy unobstructed views and onboard commentary as you view the city’s highlights and upgrade to the fast-track London Eye option to get an aerial view of the city aboard the London Eye giant observation wheel. Hop off at Westminster Pier or Tower of London stop to enjoy a Thames River cruise.

Discover the beauty and history of Royal London by bike on a morning or afternoon city tour. Enjoy a guided ride through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, and St. James's Park. Cruise by the stately monuments such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and view royal sites like Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and the Princess Diana Memorial. Along the way, learn about London’s rich history and contemporary culture.  

Discover London’s top sights for one low price with the London Pass®. Choose from a 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, or 10-day sightseeing credits package, and enjoy access to your London Pass straight from your mobile, while paying nothing at the gate. Simply show it at the gate or ticket office to redeem your credits and gain entrance to more than 80 attractions including Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and the "View from the Shard." Your pass also includes a hop-on hop-off bus tour, a Thames River cruise and a free guidebook packed with useful information, including opening times. Please note: Enjoy the extra flexibility in case your travel plans need to change: All passes are valid for two year from purchase date and only become activated with your first attraction visit. After activation your pass will be valid for the remaining number of consecutive days purchased.

Step into a wonderland of wizardry on this Harry Potter walking tour. Trek through muggle-run London to visit beloved literary and cinematic landmarks such as Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, and Platform 9¾. Along the way, enjoy Harry Potter trivia, and visit famous locations that inspired J.K. Rowling's epic book series. This is a magical tour for Harry Potter fans of all ages and a great activity for family vacations in London.

Why spend your Heathrow layover stuck in the airport food court when you can explore London’s top attractions? Take a 6-hour private tour of the capital and create a custom itinerary based on the things that interest you. Visit Big Ben, eat traditional fish and chips, stroll through Covent Garden, and more. Whatever you decide, your private guide is with you every step of the way to ensure an authentic English experience.

City Sightseeing London on our Hop-on Hop-off Bus tour will be the best way to explore the capital of England with the rich history and culture. Take in the views and visit iconic sites like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London at your leisure. We have selected key tour stops to allow you to see all the sites London has to offer in touching distance. From The Shard, to Big Ben to Oxford Street, we cover all the best places in London. With our 24HR, 48HR and 72HR ticket, we even offer a free river cruise to explore London by water. Along with a free London self-guided podcast walking tour.

Hear the stories behind historic works of art and learn more about the modern masters from your private guide on this tour of three incredible London art galleries. Explore works by da Vinci, Rembrandt and Van Gogh at the National Gallery; see impressive paintings of significant historical figures at the National Portrait Gallery; walk the vast Turbine Hall at Tate Modern. With your guide by your side, you don’t need to rely on gallery audio guides – just ask your guide all your questions!

Discover a different side of London during a walking tour that focuses on the history of sex and love in England’s capital. An ideal choice for visitors seeking an alternative sightseeing experience, this walking tour takes you to off-the-beaten-path places such as former brothels and the Red Light District of the 18th century, and reveals stories that you’d never find in the guidebooks.

Get to know 10 of the most influential and notorious figures in British history on a 3-hour small group walking tour. Find out who brought arts and culture to Britain and why Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas. Take a guided tour of the National Portrait Gallery, which houses stunning portraits of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I. This lively history crash course keeps you entertained from beginning to end.

With your Pass, discover London with unlimited sightseeing. Join and leave our flexible walking tour circuits as you please; escorted by local experts who are on hand to meet you throughout the day. Simply track your nearest expert in real time with our app, and begin to uncover 100s of key sights, including Big Ben, The London Eye and the Palace of Westminster! Uncover the fascinating history of the UK's capital, thanks to the engaging story telling from your live guide. Hop off your guided tour and self-guide whenever you wish; perhaps to explore one of London's many museums, taste the cuisine of a local food market, or to browse the huge array of shops. Tune into your multilingual audio commentary, navigate through suggested itineraries, pinpoint sights and discover the best photo spots, all offline, day or night - it couldn't be easier! When you're ready, join an escorted tour at your nearest meeting point and continue your exploration.

Get a unique perspective of London on an art-focused tour that covers some of the capital’s major artistic institutions. You’ll benefit from the unique perspective of a London-raised professional artist as you explore the city’s galleries and museums in a quintessential black cab. Plus, all admission tickets are included.

London without espionage is like tea without cake. Deceit woven in political conspiracies, thrilling car chases, gadget workshops spewing crazy innovations and double agents with looks to kill. So if you're a die-hard fan of Ian Fleming, this tour's “For Your Eyes Only”. Ride the mean streets of London and be part of a glorious 55-year legacy of spy thrillers. Relive your favourite spy flicks and their lead characters with an accredited London Private Driver Guide who's a pro at the 007 theme. Your mission ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, should you choose to accept, is to step into the shoes of Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan and Craig with your very own Special Agent. Snoop in on many mystery locations with fact-filled commentary and stand-up presentations. Prowl around the real-life world of secret service on Westminster, Whitehall, Downing St, National Gallery. Get closer to the fictional legend that is James Bond. Play out your fantasy because “You Only Live Once”..

Dive into the creative life of London on our private art tour. Be entertained by the stories behind the wonderful masterpieces and hear about modern artists as you follow our local expert guide. Discover the impressive works of well-known artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, da Vinci at the National Gallery. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the significant persons’ paintings at the National Portrait Gallery. Feel the tug of modern and contemporary art at Tate Modern. As your guide will be right beside you, you don’t have to seek help from someone, all you have to do is ask, and you’ll get the answer. • Get to your meeting point by any transportation • Choose the time of the day, which would be good for you: morning or afternoon • You won’t be left wondering: just ask your host about anything you’d like to know • All three galleries are accessible for the tourists on a wheelchair

The gallery will be closed from mid-2020 to (planned) spring 2023 for a major refurbishment. During this time, parts of the collection will be displayed around the UK in a series of exhibitions and collaborations, with other international loan exhibitions. This is a three-hour tour with an expert tour guide. Virtually hidden away behind the National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people for over four hundred years opening in 1856 where its first acquisition was possibly the oldest portrait of William Shakespeare. Find out more about the people who shaped Britain: meet Henry VIII and discover the fate of each of his six wives and Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, who won and lost power under him. We then visit the court of Queen Elizabeth I, and her favourite men Raleigh and Drake who plundered the Spanish and created England's first colonies.