COMING HOME

This exciting project saw the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with. The country-wide initiative enabled portraits from the national Collection to travel to towns and cities across the UK, providing venues and communities with the opportunity to celebrate their local heroes.

Close-up crop of a portrait of a woman's face
COMING HOME logo


COMING HOME was made possible by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, generous contributions from The Thompson Family Charitable Trust and funds raised at the Gallery’s Portrait Gala in 2017.



See all past events

COMING HOME: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

16 July - 2 October 2022
Anglesey’s Oriel Môn, Wales

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.
Catherine Princess of Wales in a red gown

COMING HOME: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

13 June - 30 September 2022
Wardlaw Museum, University of St Andrews

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: L.S. Lowry

22 May 2021 - 1 September 2022
The Lowry, Salford

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

7 April - 4 June 2022
Reading Museum, Reading

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

22 March - 5 April 2022
St James the Less Church, Pangbourne

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Andy Murray

12 August - 12 December 2021
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Richard III

9 July - 31 October 2021
Yorkshire Museum, York

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Grayson Perry

24 February 2020 - 20 September 2021
Chelmsford Museum, Chelmsford

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Jem Wharton

18 May - 4 July 2021
Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Mary Seacole

4 January - 12 March 2021
Virtual loan
Brent Museums and Archives, London


COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Chris Lowe

11 January - 7 March 2021
Virtual loan
Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool


COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: David Beckham

5 December 2019 - 1 March 2021
Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Ridley Scott

1 April 2020 - 28 February 2021
Virtual loan
Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne


COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Malala Yousafzai

7 October 2020 - 7 February 2021
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Paul Robeson

20 October 2020 - 30 January 2021
Reading Museum, Reading

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Florence Nightingale

3 March - 21 May 2020
Derby Museum, Derby

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Meera Syal

11 January - 5 April 2020
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Ira Frederick Aldridge

3 October 2019 - 1 March 2020
The Holburne Museum, Bath

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Horatio Nelson

12 October 2019 - 26 January 2020
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Norwich

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: William Wilberforce

21 September 2019 - 19 January 2020
The Ferens Art Gallery, Hull

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Virginia Woolf

13 September 2019 - 19 January 2020
Charleston, Lewes

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Samuel Johnson

13 September 2019 - 3 January 2020
Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Lord Byron

13 July - 3 November 2019
Newstead Abbey, Ravenshead

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Maxine Peake

1 July - 21 October 2019
The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Jessica Ennis-Hill

23 July - 20 October 2019
Weston Park, Museums, Sheffield

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Sir Francis Drake

27 April - 29 September 2019
Buckland Abbey – National Trust, Yelverton

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Stormzy

24 May - 28 September 2019
Museum of Croydon, London

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: King Richard III

8 June - 22 September 2019
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Tracey Emin

24 June - 8 September 2019
Turner Contemporary

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Dylan Thomas

4 May - 1 September 2019
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: David Hockney

26 February - 14 July 2019
Cartwright Hall, Bradford

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Isambard Kingdom Brunel

18 March - 23 June 2019
Portsmouth Museum, Portsmouth

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.

COMING HOME: Anne, Countess of Pembroke (Lady Anne Clifford)

22 March - 22 June 2019
Abbot Hall, Kendal

COMING HOME sees the Gallery sending portraits of iconic individuals to places they are closely associated with.