Virtual Excursions, National Portrait Gallery

Online and distance groups

If you can’t make it to us for whatever reason or just prefer to be in your own space, we have a number of virtual excursions and interactive programs that we can deliver to your students in real time. We also offer programs for teachers.

What will you experience?

Your group will be hosted by one of our Access & Learning educators for a cultural program via Zoom. Here all participants will be encouraged to explore new ideas, ways of seeing and to respond creatively, in order to understand and appreciate Australia’s complex history, its intriguing people and magnificent art.

We’re pretty flexible so can tailor our programs to almost any area of Australian history, society and culture. With over 3,000 portraits of prominent Australians, there’s a lot to explore—and our drawing and self-expression exercises can bring out the artist in anybody!

How does it work?

Once you’ve booked in and everything’s confirmed, we’ll send you information on how to connect with us over the web using a laptop or computer with a webcam, or a device. You can connect your computer or device to a larger screen or electronic whiteboard so a bigger audience can participate.

Available Programs

Art - Virtual Excursion

Our visual art programs investigate ways students can interpret portraits. They’ll explore aspects of biography, identity and culture; look at portraits that use different styles and media; and learn through discussion, activity and drawing.

History - Virtual Excursion

Our history programs identify significant historical periods, events and ideas through key individuals who have shaped Australia’s social, economic, political and cultural developments. In these interactive programs, students will explore portraits through visual analysis, contrast and compare works from different eras; and discover how portraits can be used as historical documents.

Civics and citizenship - Virtual Excursion

In these interactive programs we emphasise recognition of individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields of endeavour who have excelled and contributed to society. Students will discover ways to examine the portraits of significant Australians – past and present – through discussion, activity and drawing.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievements and activism - Virtual Excursion

This engaging program identifies significant events and ideas in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, through key individuals who have shaped the political and cultural developments involved. Students will explore portraits via visual analysis, debate and pictorial representation; and discover how portraits can be used as historical documents.

Environmental Portraits - Virtual Excursion

Through making and investigating portraits, students will work to represent and consider their local environment and the community that live in; they will also consider their own place and impact on the general environment. Inspired by a selection of environmentally themed portraits from the National Portrait Gallery collection, students have the option to respond further and contribute to a design on a single pot that becomes a classroom artefact of the lesson.

Photographic Exhibitions - Virtual Excursion (for Years 10, 11 and 12)

In conjunction with the National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition students will learn about stylistic and curatorial choices and how that positions audiences to interpret photographic works. They will explore how the presentation, display and use of photographic works influences attitudes, values, and perspectives. Considering factors such as copyright, preservation of works and Work Health and Safety in designing and conducting exhibitions. They will explore the representations of ideas in photographic portraits as photographer, editor, and curator (and prize judge!).