Library and Archives Canada developed the National Portrait Collection based on works amassed since the 1880s, with the goal of documenting historical personalities important to Canada's development. Part history museum, part art gallery, the Portrait Gallery's active program of traveling exhibitions, educational initiatives and community partnerships brings a unique collection of more than four million paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, photographs, films and caricatures to all Canadians.

Faces from the past and present, known and unknown, tell the story of Canada, while contemporary works explore today's issues. To broaden and deepen the Canadian experience, the Portrait Gallery is forming partnerships with other cultural institutions nationally and internationally.

The faces and voices of past generations influence and inform Canadians today. The Portrait Gallery of Canada's mission is to honour, commemorate and celebrate those who have shaped this country, while redefining "portrait" for a new century.