I really enjoyed this museum. The portraits are mainly of well-known historical and cultural figures. The organization of the museum is easy to figure out, and computers are available to search for specific portraits. Signs are all over to point you in the right direction, and all the portraits are well labeled. I had a good time when I started recognizing portraits of kings and queens of England from a book that I've had for years. This is a large museum and can easily take up a whole afternoon - so allow time!

Founded during the Queen Victoria years, the National Portrait Gallery was meant to be more of a historical museum than an art gallery: a veritable who's who of politicians, artists, writers, scientists, and other notables in Great Britain. We were walking to Trafalgar Square when we saw the front entrance to the gallery, so I couldn't resist going inside.

What was it like? Now, I have to admit, the two eleven-year-old boys in our party were not exactly thrilled with this museum. In fact, I felt as if the goal for them was to race through the floors as quickly as they could without me snapping at them to slow down. With that said, they did perk up a bit in the Tudor Gallery where the likes of King Henry VIII are on display. There I could point out some of the famous faces that would go with the stories they would hear in the Tower of London. (On a side note, I was personally surprised to see that Mary Queen of Scots really wasn't any prettier than Elizabeth I. I remember reading more than once that Mary's looks were a threat to her cousin's ego, even while her existence was a threat to the English throne.) In turn, some of the portraits in the 20th century galleries were of people they recognized on their own. They liked some of the styles used by the more modern painters here--"Less stuffy," I believe I heard one of them say--and they actually lingered over a few pieces.

I would've spent more time here, but I didn't completely mind submitting to the children's quick pace because the permanent exhibits are free.

Bottom line? Certainly worth a wander, even if you have your kids in tow. After you leave the gallery, head over to see the lions at the foot of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square. The boys enjoyed walking around outside here, where they didn't have to be contained or quiet.

The most interesting thing about the National Portrait Gallery is that it shows you the faces of hundreds of writers, artists, and nobility you've heard about but have never seen. Tucked just around the corner from the National Gallery, and an extension of it, this museum houses exclusively portraits. This may sound boring, but a trip to the NPG can be quick and combines both history and art. Often there are lengthy explanations of an individual's accomplishments and how they relate to others whose portraits are on display.

As you come into the NPG, you are taken up an extra-long escalator that spits you out at the earliest portraits of the nobility. You move through room after room of regal and sober expressions in ornate clothing. It's amazing how much of a progression you can see on the walls simply in fashion. For me, I found it helped me connect the royal line, which has always been confusing. The piece descriptions explain whose son this was or who his children became. The oldest paintings are fragile, so the light is low, but this only adds to the feeling of mystery.

Down in the lower galleries, you can find anything, from pop-art pictures of movie stars to abstract self-portraits. I was fascinated to see what the authors I've read and heard so much about looked like in real life. Also, I realized just how much a part of art portraiture really is. This smaller museum provides an enjoyable and informative afternoon visit, if nothing else.

And did I mention it’s free?

Just pop in here on a brief excursion while you are visiting Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, or Covent Garden. More contemporary exhibitions on the main floor, and major collections everywhere else.

This is a bit more serious a destination, but my 3-year-old and I spent a happy hour there with the help of the audio guide, fun riding the two-door lifts (which will open?!?), the mysterious escalator that skips a whole floor, and air conditioning vents that blow up your skirt.

If your kids have any special heroes, the staff are happy to look up who is on display...

Sneak up to the top floor (restaurant entrance) for a fabulous view of Trafalgar Square down to the Thames.

This is a must see. I do the bulk of my reading in the subject area of Henry VIII and all of the Tudor family members. It was great to see paintings of Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, and various others. In some ways, it is almost surreal to be in the same room. How lucky we are to be able to see these! Thanks to the British sense of tradition, we do get to see these.