Parents' Survival Guide

General information about visiting the Galleries can be found in our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

Car Parking
There is free car parking at the Dean Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. The National Gallery and the Portrait Gallery are both served by city centre parking, either on George Street, Queen Street, or the large car park at the St. James Centre.

Cloakroom
Backpacks and umbrellas should be checked in to the free cloakroom on arrival.

Facilities for Babies
All the galleries have baby changing areas, located within the disabled toilets. We do not have any dedicated rooms for breast feeding, but there will usually be a quiet area where you can go if you are uncomfortable using the changing area or the public spaces. Please ask a warder on site for advice. All galleries also have buggies available to borrow if required. We also ask that these are used in place of baby “back pack” style carriers. Buggies are available on a first come first served basis.

Ramps
Access for buggies and wheelchairs is available at all galleries: at the main entrances to the Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, and at the back of the Royal Scottish Academy and the Dean Gallery.

Activities
Follow the sculpture trail around the grounds of the Dean Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. Pick up a map at the Galleries’ main entrance and view works by Henry Moore, Rachel Whiteread and Barbara Hepworth.

Interactivity
Touch-screen computers at the Weston Link connecting the Royal Scottish Academy Building and the National Gallery allow children to browse images and information about the collection at their own pace.

Children’s workshops
The Galleries host children’s workshops in a variety of mediums including painting, video and photography. The workshops are organised by age group and cater for children aged 5-15.

Seating
There is plenty of seating available in all the Galleries.

Food
You may not eat in the Galleries, but each Gallery has a café providing food & drink with at least one vegetarian option. High chairs are provided for young children. More information about our restaurants and cafés can be found here.

Visitors can picnic in the grounds of the Dean Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, and in Princes Street Gardens, which are adjacent to the National Gallery and the Royal Scottish Academy and only a few minutes’ walk from the Portrait Gallery.

Help
The Galleries’ many attendants will be happy to help with any enquiries. They wear a uniform of white shirt with dark green tartan trousers and a name badge, and can be found either at the front desk or patrolling the Galleries.