The National Portrait Gallery tells the story of Britain through portraits, using art to bring history to life and explore living today They look after the world’s greatest collection of portraits. Spanning six centuries, our artworks reveal the inspiring and sometimes surprising personal stories that have shaped, and continue to shape a nation - from global icons to local champions, national treasures to unsung heroes. They are also passionate about portraiture, always progressing the art form, championing artists and encouraging creativity. They celebrate the power of portraiture to create person-to-person connections and the experiences they provide offer encounters with some of the world’s greatest artists as well as the very best in contemporary art.