National Portrait Gallery announces reopening date and it looks to be worth the wait

The National Portrait Gallery, the first portrait gallery in the world and a major London attraction, has been closed since June 2020, taking advantage of the pandemic quiet to undergo extensive refurbishment. It has now finally revealed the date of its planned reopening in 2023.

The rejuvenated National Portrait Gallery will feature a new entrance and forecourt on its North Façade for a more welcoming entry and less congestion. The Gallery will also use the opportunity to re-display and rearrange its entire Collection in upgraded gallery spaces and in a chronological order. The most popular portrait paintings on display will be accompanied by works from the Gallery's extensive photographic collection dating back to 1840.

In order to obtain more space for the displays, office space in the original East Wing of the building will be converted back into galleries, with the East Wing reopening as the Weston Wing. The ground floor and basement levels of the newly reopened wing will also be renovated to house more gallery space, a new social space, and an extension of the existing café.

Furthermore, a new and improved Learning Centre will expand the Gallery's learning spaces. Meanwhile new ways of reaching and connecting with young people and communities will continue the good work the Gallery's outreach programme has been undertaking during the years of closure.

All in all, it looks like big things are in store for the National Portrait Gallery, which will reopen to the public on 22 June 2023. Find  out more about the renovation here.