Advice for School & College Groups at the Gallery

We welcome school and college group visits to the National Portrait Gallery. Please read these guidelines in advance of your visit, discuss them with your students and give a copy to all accompanying adults to ensure that your visit runs smoothly for you and for other Gallery visitors.

Getting here: The Gallery is located opposite the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, north of Trafalgar Square. The nearest Underground stations are Leicester Square and Charing Cross and there is a mainline station at Charing Cross. We regret that there is no parking available at the Gallery. If you are travelling by coach please ask your driver about suitable drop-off and pick-up points.

Group Entrance: Enter via the Main Entrance in St Martin's Place. The ramp access to the Gallery is via the Orange Street entrance for visitors with access requirements.

Signing-in: Visit the Information Desk in the Main Hall. Please have your copy of your confirmation letter with you. Front of House staff will direct you to your gallery rooms or call your gallery teacher to come and meet you if you have booked a taught session. Group leaders will be given a badge to wear while in the Gallery so that they are easily identifiable.

Groups Cloakroom: If you would like to deposit your bags and coats, please ask the Information Desk staff for a cloakroom key for the groups cloakroom in the Basement (do not use the public cloakroom). Although the groups cloakroom is kept locked, valuables should not be left there.

The cloakroom may be used by several groups at any one time therefore please ask your pupils to bring as little as possible with them. We regret that there are no facilities for eating packed lunches.

Rules: Group leaders are responsible for the behaviour of their pupils throughout the visit. We reserve the right to ask groups who do not respect these rules to leave the Gallery. When in the Gallery please ensure that your group:

• Are supervised at all times by an adult
• Are divided into small groups (maximum permitted per room is 30 people at a time)
• Only use the gallery rooms you have booked (please check your confirmation letter)
• Do not eat or drink (including chewing gum) anywhere in the Gallery
• Do not use cameras, tape recorders, video cameras or mobile telephones
• Take care - do not run, get too close to or touch the artworks
• Do not use the lifts or escalators (unless members of your group have access needs)
• Only use dry art materials
• Are quiet - teachers and pupils should be aware that loud voices echo and disturb others
• Do not use stools or materials that have been put out for other groups
• Are prepared to move if requested to do so by a member of the warding staff
• Behave at all times with consideration towards other people visiting the Gallery

Shop - please note that pupils may only visit the shop in groups of 10 or less. The shop cannot accommodate a whole class at the same time therefore you must take responsibility for dividing your group, or they may not be able to visit the shop.

Many thanks for your co-operation, we hope that you enjoy your visit.

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All images and text are subject to copyright protection. 20 November 2008