National Portrait Gallery Unframed: Stories – Brought To Life

Stories – Brought to Life

2 May – 31 August 2025

Tickets now available book here

For a limited time only preview pricing is in place with tickets available from £10 (adult and child) and a reduced family ticket price of £35, available on visits up to and including the 23^rd May . 

Entrance to Stories – Brought to Life, includes a 45-minute state of the art immersive experience in the main gallery as well as two other galleries to explore, giving an overall visit duration of 60+ minutes.  Visitors are free to view all 3 galleries as many times as they like on their visit. 

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Discover the extraordinary stories behind some of the nation’s favourite portraits, in this new immersive experience inspired by the National Portrait Gallery.

Stories – Brought to Life uses the latest digital technology to explore the lives of people who have shaped the UK’s history and culture, from the Tudor period to the present day.

From icons of history to contemporary trailblazers, it brings portraits to life like never before. Among the featured stories will be Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II, Ncuti Gatwa, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Hodgkin, Mai, Nelson Mandela, Emmeline Pankhurst, Grayson Perry, Mary Seacole, William Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Malala Yousafzai.

Stories – Brought to Life is created by FRAMELESS, the leading creator of immersive experiences, in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. It combines the highest quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects and the latest audio technology to bring these stories to life like never before.

Stories – Brought to Life opens on Friday 2 May at MediaCity, for a limited time only, before touring nationally.

The below MediaCity restaurants and cafes are delighted to offer an exclusive discount to  ticket holders:

Valid until 31st August 2025.

• Blanconero – 20% off Monday – Friday & 10% off Saturday / Sunday

  • T&Cs – You are entitled to receive 20% off Monday – Friday & 10% off Saturday / Sunday at Blanconero, when you show a valid ticket to the National Portrait Gallery Unframed: Stories – Brought To Life immersive experience at MediaCity, for the same date of visit.  This applies to the total bill for breakfast / brunch (not including any other offer).

• Chapati Café – 25% off

  • T&Cs – You are entitled to receive 25% off at Chapati Café when you show a valid ticket to the National Portrait Gallery Unframed: Stories – Brought To Life immersive experience at MediaCity, for the same date of visit. Can’t be used in conjunction with any other offers.

• Moose – 15% off

  • T&Cs –  You are entitled to receive 15% off at Moose when you show a valid ticket to the National Portrait Gallery Unframed: Stories – Brought To Life immersive experience at MediaCity, for the same date of visit.

• Prezzo – 25% off food bill

  • You are entitled to receive 25% off food at Prezzo when you show a valid ticket to the National Portrait Gallery Unframed: Stories – Brought To Life immersive experience at MediaCity, for the same date of visit. This offer is valid to use in Prezzo MediaCity from 12pm every day, throughout the dates that the exhibition is live, until 31^st August. Not available on days when major events like sports or entertainment events are taking place. The offer is available to a maximum of 12 people per bill. This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other internal offer, partner offer(s), Tesco Clubcard Rewards, BYO Pasta, Set Menu, Bottomless Aperitivo, Delivery or Takeaway Sales. Dine-in only.