Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh (must see)

No art lover should miss a chance to visit the Scottish National Gallery, which is found on the Mound, just next to the Royal Scottish Academy. When opened in 1859, the gallery shared the place with the academy. It also housed the Portrait Gallery, and the lack of space became a real problem until the Portrait Gallery moved to its new location. But by 1906 more space had been needed, and so the academy moved into the building next door.

The gallery was entirely renovated in 1912. Today it features both Scottish and European art and boasts the collection of over 30,000 paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture dating from the early Renaissance period to the late 19th century. Among them are works by Bassano, Bernini, Botticelli, Cézanne, Constable and Degas, paintings and drawings by El Greco, Titian, Tiepolo, and da Vinci. Lovers of Gauguin will admire “Vision of the Sermon”, whilst those keen on sculpture will surely appreciate “The Three Graces” by Canova.

The gallery also houses an amazing Research Library, featuring over 50,000 books, journals, microfilms and slides, dating from the 1300s through the 1900s, being one of the finest reference libraries in the world.

The Western Link is an underground interconnection between the gallery and the academy. In this area, there is a lecture theatre, a restaurant, and the gallery shop. There is also an interactive IT Gallery where, using touch-screens, you can observe the gallery’s entire collection.

Why You Should Visit:
Good selection of great Scottish and non-Scottish works; an intimate and cozy way to spend a few hours.
Entry is free for permanent exhibitions; a small fee for special collections.

Tip:
Make sure you go into both the main Gallery building and the Academy building behind it.
Note that the wonderful Turner watercolor exhibition goes on show every January – truly some wonderful insights into his travels around Europe.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Edinburgh. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Scottish National Gallery on Map

Sight Name: Scottish National Gallery
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland

Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh

Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh

Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour

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Comfortably yet tightly packed on the hilly terrain, Edinburgh – the Scottish capital since at least the 15th century, and the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 – is a picturesque city renowned for its unique architecture of the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, currently both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The earliest known human habitation in the area dates...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Famous Squares and Streets Walking Tour

Famous Squares and Streets Walking Tour

Being in Edinburgh, it is only natural to be curious about the avenues, boulevards, and streets leading to (or stemming from) the city's picturesque squares. There, you can find a copious amount of historic and religious sites, fashion stores, classy restaurants, and marketplaces, not to mention some hidden gems, exploring which is well worth the time spent.

One of Edinburgh's most...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Harry Potter Trail

Harry Potter Trail

Years after the release of the last Harry Potter book and movie, the cultural phenomenon of Harry Potter doesn't seem to fade away and the fandom continues strong as ever. Although by now Harry Potter has become a household name across the globe, the fact that J.K. Rowling penned some of the world's favorite wizarding stories in Scotland's capital, where she still lives now, makes...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour

Old Town Walking Tour

The historical center of Edinburgh, popularly known as the Old Town, is indeed the oldest part of the Scottish capital. Most of the buildings here, made of stone and characterized by numerous tall windows, have been around since the Middle Ages and are covered with soot, left over from the days long gone, when houses were heated with hard-coal and wood. Hence the prevailing gray color in the area....  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour

Royal Mile Walking Tour

The Royal Mile, a steep thoroughfare in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, is one of the city's busiest tourist destinations. It runs down a slope, from the famed Edinburgh Castle to Holyroodhouse Palace and the ruined Holyrood Abbey, for almost exactly a mile and thus got its name, coined in 1920. The succession of streets forming the Royal Mile is lined with numerous shops, pubs,...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Edinburgh Pub Crawl

Edinburgh Pub Crawl

Edinburgh is rich in pubs, both old and new, spoiling their patrons with the best in town drinks and food. Although most traditional pubs in the city are laid back, with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, some have dance floors and double as nightclubs. This self-guided adventure takes you to several such spots, each with its own story to tell.

Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

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