National Galleries of Scotland

We can confirm that in line with the latest Scottish Government announcements our Galleries will be open. We look forward to welcoming you. We are permitted to open and continue to implement measures to ensure the health and safety of our visitors and employees. For more information on the local protection levels visit the Scottish Government website.

• Scottish National Gallery is open daily, 10am-5pm.
• Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One) is open daily, 10am-5pm.
• Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two) is open daily, 10am-5pm.
• Scottish National Portrait Gallery is open daily, 10am-5pm.
• The grounds of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One and Two) are open daily, 9.45am-5.30pm.
• Last admission to all our Gallery buildings is 3.45pm except where noted.

Admission to our all buildings is via a timed ticketed entry system which can be booked in advance from this website. For the grounds, admission is free and unticketed.
All galleries close at 4pm on 31 January.

Booking is open for all sites including Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema. If you have not pre-booked, entry may be available on the day. Ask a member of staff onsite for details. Booking is required at the Scottish National Gallery and Modern One and is currently not required, but is recommended, for our other galleries.  

You are able to book a visit around four weeks in advance for the Scottish National Gallery, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One). This is subject to change. We are taking advance bookings up to 20 February 2022 for Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema.

Yes, advance booking is recommended. Only babes in arms do not require a ticket.

We are now welcoming a limited number of self-led groups back to the gallery. Please contact us for more information.

We are limiting the number of visitors coming into our Galleries. We hope that not only will this reassure and make you feel safe, but that you will be able to have your own very special experience, engaging with much-loved artworks. Please maintain physical distancing at all times during your visit. 

Not all rooms will be accessible. We are in the process of reopening some smaller spaces. Some spaces will stay closed for now because of the refurbishment works going on around the Scottish National Gallery complex.

Scottish National Gallery

• Rooms 8, 15 and 16 are closed due to refurbishment works.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

• The Library and Print Room

Our audience research continues to tell us that many visitors like being able to book a slot. With that in mind, we are offering pre-booked tickets and subject to availability, a limited number of walk-up tickets. The intention is to provide for visitors who wish to pre-book as well as those who want to walk up. We encourage visitors to pre-book where possible to ensure they can visit at their preferred time. We are using the ticket system as a way of monitoring and regularly increasing the number of people we can let into our buildings in a way that feels safe to our visitors and our staff.

You can print off your ticket and bring it with you or show the email attachment on your mobile phone at the entrance to the Gallery.
Your ticket will have a time on it. You have one hour from that time to start your visit. So if you booked for 10am, you can start your visit any time between 10am and 11am. Except for Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema and the Scottish National Gallery where you need to start your visit within 15 minutes from the time on your ticket.
There will be a queuing system in place which is outdoors and uncovered. There is no indoor space for waiting, so we suggest arriving as close to your time slot as possible. We recommend arriving no more than five minutes before your allotted admission time.
Please meet up with other members of your party before entering the Gallery as there are no designated meeting spaces.

There will be signage to guide you around all our buildings and maps availabel in-gallery. Alternatively, when you book, you will receive a link to download a map of the Gallery so you can easily navigate the galleries. Please ensure you maintain physical distancing at all times whilst exploring the gallery. 

Yes. We have free printed maps for visitors to each of our galleries. Pick one up in the foyer or ask a member of staff.

Scottish National Gallery
Entry to the Scottish National Gallery is via the main entrance as normal. This is also the accessible entrance. Entry to The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant and the Gallery Shop is via the Gardens Entrance on East Princes Street Gardens.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One)
Entry to Modern One is via the main front entrance. The accessible entrance is through the café. The queue for ticket holders is directly in front of the doors.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two)
Entry to Modern Two is via the main front entrance. The queue for ticket holders is to the right of the front doors. The queue for Paolozzi's Kitchen is to the left of the front doors, beside the pop-up café. There is an accessible entrance at the rear of the building.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Entry to the Portrait Gallery is via the main doors. This is also the accessible entrance. The queue for ticket holders is to the side of the front doors.

We ask all visitors more than 12 years old to wear face coverings during their visit.
Bags/Backpacks that are larger than 25cm wide x 42cm high x 12cm deep must be carried by hand or stored in lockers. Baby carriers are permitted.

There is no limit but we recommend a visit should take 90-120 minutes, not including visiting the shop and cafe.

If you have already booked a ticket but cannot make it, or need to exchange it for another time slot, get in touch with us at [email protected]

In line with current Scottish Government advice, we recommend that when you visit our galleries, you do so in groups of less than three households to limit social contact.

We have a limited number of wheelchairs at our sites for vistors to borrow. They are regularly sanitised as part of our routine cleaning procedures.

We are now welcoming a limited number of self-led groups back to the gallery. Please contact us for more information. You can also access more information on many of the works on display during your visit by downloading our app Smartify. More on Smartify.

We always welcome visits with children at our Galleries. We ask all children over 12 to wear a face covering. All of the Galleries have baby changing areas and buggy parks available.

Large print labels are only currently available for Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema. We have made information about many of the artworks on display available via our free mobile phone app Smartify. Find out more about Smartify.

Scottish National Gallery
Toilets and baby changing facilities are available at gallery level 10am-5pm, daily. There are also toilets for those dining in The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One and Modern Two)
Toilets, baby changing and Changing Places facilities are open daily, 10am-5pm at Modern One and Two. No ticket required for access.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Toilets and baby changing facilities are open daily, 10am-5pm. No ticket required for access.

A ticket is required for access to facilities in gallery areas. All facilities are cleaned regularly.

There is metered, on-street parking near the Scottish National Gallery and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Parking for visitors is available at both Modern One and Modern Two. A donation is requested of £3 for up to 4 hours and £6 for 4-8 hours. Our payment meters have contactless capability.

We also have disabled parking facilities for blue badge holders. Modern One is equipped with a small number of electric car charging points.

The bus is not currently running.

Normally, we would love for you to create your own artwork during your visit, however, while we are under restrictions due to COVID-19 we ask you to avoid stopping for any length of time to create your own artworks. You are of course welcome to take photos to allow you to create an artwork at home, after your visit.

Yes, all sites have lockers available for visitor use at a cost of £1/£2.