National Portrait Gallery: where does the money come from?
The National Portrait Gallery had income of £32m in the year to March 2026, and 34% of it was government grant-in-aid. It welcomed 1,445,000 visitors.
What does the National Portrait Gallery do?
The National Portrait Gallery, beside Trafalgar Square in London, holds portraits of people who have shaped British history and culture. Founded in 1856, it was the first national portrait gallery in the world. It is funded by government grant-in-aid with free general admission, and earns its own income from paid exhibitions, a trading company running shops and catering, membership and donations. Its collection is chosen for the sitter as much as the artist.
In brief: national portrait gallery · British history through portraits · free entry, paid exhibitions · London
Source: Spark Intel editorial, checked 27 September 2026. Official website: npg.org.uk.
Where does the National Portrait Gallery's money come from?
Government grant-in-aid brought in £11m, 34% of the total. The rest, £21m, came from what the National Portrait Gallery earns and raises itself: admissions, shops and catering, donations and other income.
- Government grant-in-aid £11m 34%
- Admissions and exhibitions £6m 19%
- Shops, catering and commercial £5m 15%
- Donations and legacies £10m 31%
- Other income £0.3m 1%
What did the National Portrait Gallery spend, and what is it worth?
| Measure | Mar 2026 | Previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Total income | £32m | £33m |
| Total spending | £31m | |
| Net income before gains | £1.6m | |
| Staff costs | £15m | |
| Staff | 246 | |
| Net assets | £183m | |
| Cash | £8m | |
| Visitors | 1,445,000 | |
| Income per visitor | £22.40 | |
| Grant-in-aid per visitor | £7.62 |
Net income is before investment gains and property revaluations. For a charity it is the surplus kept for the collection and buildings, not a profit paid out.
- Legal form
- Exempt charity and non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS
- Sites
- National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London
- Trading company
- The National Portrait Gallery Company Limited (06015724)
- Latest accounts
- Year to 31 March 2026
National Portrait Gallery: common questions
How much money does the National Portrait Gallery get from the government?
£11m of grant-in-aid in the year to March 2026, 34% of its total income of £32m.
How much does the National Portrait Gallery spend?
£31m in the year to March 2026, of which staff costs were £15m.
How many people visit the National Portrait Gallery?
1,445,000 in the year to March 2026 (Number of actual visits to the Gallery, St Martin's Place, 2025-26 (performance indicator, stated in thousands; 1.6m in 2024-25)), according to its annual report.
Why isn't the National Portrait Gallery on the Companies House register?
The National Portrait Gallery is exempt charity and non-departmental public body sponsored by DCMS, so it publishes its accounts in an annual report rather than filing them at Companies House. Its trading company, The National Portrait Gallery Company Limited, does file there.
Spark Intel, “National Portrait Gallery: where does the money come from?”, updated 28 September 2026. https://www.spark-intel.co.uk/companies/national-portrait-gallery/. Figures from National Portrait Gallery's annual report and accounts for the year to 31 March 2026.
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