National Galleries of Scotland

Please be aware, there may be a queue both inside and outside the gallery to ensure all visitors are able to safely view the exhibition. Visitors to Turner in January may experience queuing of up to 45-60 minutes at busy periods and weekends.

The National Galleries of Scotland has presented an exhibition of the work of JMW Turner every January for more than a century. This year's exhibition will showcase all of the 38 watercolours by Turner that were given to the National Galleries of Scotland in 1900 by the art collector Henry Vaughan.

The exquisite works in the Vaughan bequest range from early wash drawings of the 1790s, to the colourful, atmospheric and wonderfully expressive late works executed on visits to the Swiss Alps during the 1830s and 1840s. 

Highlights of the bequest include a series of spectacular views of Venice such as The Piazzetta, Venice and Venice from the Laguna, which capture the drama and explosive skies of late summer Adriatic storms and demonstrate the artist’s consummate mastery of atmospheric lighting effects.

A booking for the Scottish National Gallery must be made in order to enjoy this exhibition.

Follow the link below to our in-depth feature on JMW Turner, where you can find out more about this great artist, and access the full selection of watercolours usually displayed each January.

Exhibition accessibility