Come face to face with the people who shaped Scotland’s past, present and future at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Free admission | Charge for some exhibitions
1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD
Gallery & grounds
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is one of Edinburgh’s most remarkable buildings – a great red sandstone neo-gothic palace which sits proudly on the city’s skyline. The Gallery was designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson as a shrine for Scotland’s heroes and heroines. It opened to the public in 1889 as the world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery.
An elaborate decorative scheme, both inside and out, with its glittering friezes, evocative murals and extensive sculptural embellishment, make it a very special experience.
Learn more about the history and architecture of the building
Displays at the Gallery explore different aspects of the story of Scotland and her people, told through a wealth of imagery including portraits of famous historical figures such as Mary Queen of Scots, Prince Charles Edward Stuart and Robert Burns, through to more recent pioneers in science, sport and the arts. See these fantastic displays in beautifully refurbished spaces, from the suite of grand top-lit galleries to smaller intimate rooms, and discover the Photography Gallery, and the atmospheric Victorian Library. The displays change on a regular basis, so there is always something new to see.
Getting here
Located in the city centre on Queen Street, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is easy to access.
In addition to the transport options below there are bike racks at each site and Just Eat Cycle Hire stations nearby.
Gallery bus
The Gallery bus shuttles visitors between the three gallery sites, for a voluntary donation of £1, starting and returning to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two).
Pick-up and drop-off points
Modern One - front of building
Modern Two - rear of building
Portrait - drop-off only at west St Andrew Square. Three minutes walk from the Gallery
National - The Mound
Arrival/departure times
Please note these times are approximate.
| Modern One arrive | Modern One depart | Portrait (drop off only) | National arrive | National depart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:45am | 11am | 11:15am | 11:20am | 11:30am |
| 11:45am | 12noon | 12:15pm | 12:20pm | 12:30pm |
| 12:45pm | 2pm | 2:15pm | 2:20pm | 2:30pm |
| 2:45pm | 3pm | 3:15pm | 3:20pm | 3:30pm |
| 3:45pm | 4pm | 4:15pm | 4:20pm | 4:30pm |
| Terminates at Modern One 4:45pm |
Accessibility & facilities
A full accessibility guide is available at www.accessibilityguides.org.
We provide a sensory map of the building to help visitors identify areas with changes in light, smells and noise. It locates seating areas and less crowded, quieter spaces. Printed copies are available from the front desk at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Admissions
Cost
Free admission | Charge for some exhibitions
Opening times
Open daily 10am–5pm
Contact
For general enquiries regarding your visit or gallery services:
+44 (0)131 624 6200
[email protected]
Your safety
For safety reasons we kindly ask all visitors to carry rucksacks or backpacks by hand or use one of the lockers.
Groups of 10 or more
Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to book two weeks in advance in order to make the most of your visit and take advantage of discounts on paid exhibitions. Our team can help you plan your visit.
Schools, college and university visits
We offer an exciting range of tours and workshops for students of all ages.
Featured exhibitions and displays
Display
Heroes and Heroines | The Victorian Age
Portrait
Until Sun 31 May 2020
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Free
Exhibition
Coming Soon
Scotland’s Photograph Album | The MacKinnon Collection
Portrait
Sat 16 Nov 2019 - Sun 16 Feb 2020
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Free
Featured events
Drop-in event
Once-a-Month Shared Reading and Creative Writing
Portrait
Every third Wednesday of the month
10:30am - 12:30pm
Free
Tour
British Sign Language (BSL) Tour: Scotland’s Photograph Album | The Mackinnon Collection
Portrait
Sat 23 Nov 2019
11am - 12:30pm
Free
Special event
Autism-Friendly Early Openings
Portrait
Sun 24 Nov 2019
9 - 10am
Free
Booking essential
Café & shops
Café Portrait
After visiting the galleries head to Café Portrait, where you can relax and enjoy a delicious lunch or coffee and cake in impressive surroundings.
All our food is prepared from scratch in our kitchen, which is why it tastes so good. You can choose from a wide variety of gluten and dairy free dishes.
Book a tableShop
Our shop sells ranges of handmade jewellery, crafts, ceramics and limited editions from Scottish artists and makers. So whether you’re looking for prints or posters, books or bags, we have everything from the traditional to the alternative.
Shop onlineBalcony Bookshop
This shop is situated on the balcony above the Great Hall, near to The Library. It stocks key National Galleries of Scotland publications and other titles relating to our exhibitions, collection and artists. You can also buy souvenirs, postcards and gifts.
Browse books onlineResearch facilities
Photography Collection
The photography collection contains over 40,000 works including the largest collection of Hill and Adamson anywhere in the world.
Portraiture prints & drawings
The portraiture prints and drawings collection consists of 20,000 prints and around 2,000 drawings and watercolours dating from the 16th century to the present.
Scottish biographical and portraiture library
The library has over 50,000 holdings largely including biographies of Scots and Scottish portraiture.
About us
The National Galleries of Scotland cares for, develops, researches and displays the national collection of Scottish and international art and, with a lively and innovative programme of activities, exhibitions, education and publications, aims to engage, inform and inspire the broadest possible public.