Families

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Introduction
Take Part
How can we help?
BYOB- Bring Your Own Baby
Your Visit

There are three free Galleries for you and your family to explore together.

Pop in to see the latest exhibitions, take part in our year-round programme of family activities or just relax in our family-friendly cafes; we’re free and open every day.

Take part

There’s lots for you to see and do at the National Galleries of Scotland, including:

  • Hands on art-making workshops
  • Multisensory storytelling
  • Family art tours
  • Special holiday events
  • Trails for you to explore the Galleries at your own pace

 

Browse family activities

How can we help?

Our friendly gallery attendants are there to help you make the most of your visit; ask if you need anything. A gallery is not somewhere you always have to ‘wheesht’; we welcome conversations, questions and responses (including baby gurgles!) from all of our visitors.

BYOB- Bring Your Own Baby

We welcome even the tiniest tots to the galleries (and even programme a special tour for the Under 1s). All the galleries are Breast/Bottle-Feeding Friendly, with baby changing areas located within the disabled toilets. High chairs and bottle-warming facilities are available in the cafes and there are buggy parks at Modern One and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Your Visit

 

Seats

If you need to take a break, there are seats throughout the galleries and portable folding stools that you can take with you – just ask if you’re unsure.

Food and drink

For the safety of the artworks, eating and drinking in the galleries is not allowed. You can eat any snacks that you have brought with you in the Resource Room at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The grounds of Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art also make a perfect picnic spot. Princes Street Gardens, next to The Scottish National Gallery, is also a great place for a picnic. Children are also welcome in all our gallery cafés.

Family picnic in the grounds of Modern One

Access

Access for buggies and wheelchairs is available at the main entrances of the Scottish National Gallery, Scottish National Portrait Gallery and Modern One. For the Academy Building and Modern Two, please use the back entrance. All galleries have lifts.

Lockers

Lockers are available at each of the galleries (£1/£2, non-refundable) or, if small enough, you can carry your bag by hand/in your buggy.

Car parking

There is pay and display parking at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Charges are £2 for the day. The Scottish National Gallery and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery are served by city centre parking.

Our Galleries

Find out more about the facilities at all our galleries.

Art Stomps (for the under 5s)

The grounds of Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art are perfect for exploring with your family so we have created an Art Stomps (for the under 5s) map for sculpture-hunting, leaf-kicking and outdoor art-making.

Find out more

Say hello

Please do take photos of your family in the galleries and share them with us via @NatGalleriesSco. Leave us a comment at one of the feedback stations. Tell us what you like; if you think we could do better or share any special conversations you had together in the galleries.

Don’t miss out!

Sign-up for our Family ebulletin for a seasonal email about what’s coming up.