Walk, Talk, Make Sculpture Trail
You and your family can find out about some artists, their artworks and follow prompts to make your own art with this trail.
There’s more to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art than meets the eye. Spend the most beautiful day, among wonderful art, fun parks, and relaxing shops and cafes. Discover more below…
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free | Charges for some exhibitions
73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
The gallery
Discover the stories within...
The Galleries
Home to Scotland’s outstanding national collection of modern and contemporary art, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art comprises two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two, both set in beautiful sculpture parks.
At Modern One, explore sculptures by major artists such as Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Rachel Whiteread and Barbara Hepworth outside and a superb collection of art ranging from the 1900s to the present day within. Discover the dramatic lawn at the front of Modern One, designed by landscape architect Charles Jencks. The collection includes works by Matisse, Picasso, Vuillard, and Dix. It also includes a world-famous collection of Surrealism and Dada as well as a superb selection of paintings by Scottish artists such as Peploe, Fergusson, Douglas Gordon and Steven Campbell. Café Modern One serves lunches, incredible cakes and delicious coffee.
Modern Two is home to The Stairwell Project, a large- scale, permanent work by 2009 Turner Prize- winner Richard Wright. Comprising several thousand individually hand-painted forms, the piece is one of Wright’s most complex and ambitious works to date in the world. Modern Two is also home to a detailed recreation of Eduard Paolozzi's studio on permanent display. Paolozzi's towering sculpture, Vulcan, dominates Paolozzi's Kitchen, our café named after the artist. Enjoy delicious lunches, cakes and coffee while taking in this stunning work.
Modern One
Modern Two
Modern One is housed in a neoclassical building, which was designed by William Burn in 1825. Modern Two was originally built in 1833 and in 1999 it was converted into a Gallery.
Read more about this history of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Getting here
Getting here
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art is located 15 minutes’ walk from Princes Street. It includes two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two, set in a beautiful sculpture park.
Venue map
- Open daily, 10am-5pm
- Open daily, 10am-5pm
73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
Accessibility
Accessibility & facilities
Detailed information on accessibility at the National Galleries of Scotland
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. There is free accessible parking for blue badge holders.
Floor plan
Gallery floor plans
About your visit
Opening times
Modern One
Gallery Daily, 10am-5pm.
Shop Daily, 10am-5pm.
Café Modern One Daily, 10am-5pm (last orders 4.30pm).
Changing Places toilet Daily, 10am-5pm.
Car park Open daily, 9.45am-5.30pm.
Modern Two
Gallery Closed.
Shop Closed.
Paolozzi's Kitchen Closed.
Paolozzi's studio Open by appointment from 22 October.
Research facilities Open by appointment.
Car park Daily, 9.45am-5.30pm.
Contact
For general enquiries regarding your visit or gallery services:
+44 (0)131 624 6200
[email protected]
Your safety
Everything you need to know about your visit can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions.
Group visits
Schools and community groups of 10 or more can book free self-led visits to all our galleries.
Safety information
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We ask that you respect physical distancing from others during your visit.
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If you or anyone you live with displays symptoms associated with COVID-19, please delay your visit until it is safe to do so.
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Download Smartify to access our highlights tour, large print labels and get more information about the artworks during your visit.
Modern One BSL introduction
Presented by Trudi Collier, this short welcome film in British Sign Language (BSL) introduces the building and collections of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One).
Families
The grounds of Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art are perfect for exploring with your family. We have created some activities for you and your family to enjoy while stomping around the grounds.
Sensory Sculpture Stories
Stories to encourage you to use your senses to enjoy and experience the sculptures in our grounds.
Art chat | Conversations with the Collection
Designed for families aged 6+ this guide helps you explore the different artworks in our Conversations with the Collection exhibition and encourages you to make your own. Available to pick up in gallery or download.
Art chat | New Arrivals
Designed for families aged 6+ this guide helps you explore the different artworks in our New Arrivals exhibition and encourages you to make your own. Available to pick up in gallery or download.
In the grounds
Explore our grounds with these sculpture guides.
Smartify
Smartify
Download the app, scan the art, uncover the story.
Discover the stories behind the art with Smartify, the free informative art app. You can use the app to explore the artworks in the gallery and learn even more about the work and the artist.
Featured exhibitions and displays
Must see
Exhibition
New Arrivals | From Salvador Dalí to Jenny Saville
Modern One
Until Sun 12 Feb 2023
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Must see
Exhibition
Conversations with the Collection
Modern One
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Display
Just Opened
Paolozzi Studio
Modern Two
From 22 Oct 2022 (by appointment)
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Display
Beyond Realism | Dada and Surrealism
Modern One
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Featured events
Lecture or talk
Conversations with the Collection | Merlin James and Dr Catherine Spencer (in person)
Modern One
Fri 2 Dec 2022
12:45 - 1:30pm
Free
Booking essential
Course or workshop
BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby/Bump)
Modern One
Mon 5 Dec 2022
10:15 - 10:45am
Free
+2 other sessions
Special event
Teachers' Private View | Conversations with the Collection
Modern One
Wed 7 Dec 2022
5:15 - 7pm
Free
Booking essential
Course or workshop
SOLD OUT
Art Stomps | Winter
Modern One
Sat 10 Dec 2022
11am - 12:30pm
Free
Booking essential
Restaurants
Cafés and shops
Café Modern One
Open daily, 10am-5pm (last orders 4.30pm)
Café Modern One has had a full makeover. Pop in and enjoy the plush new decor or the beautiful terrace and garden to the rear of the gallery if it's a sunny day. Offering seasonal tasty salads, deli filled sandwiches, hearty soups, delicious hot dishes and artisanal baking all prepared from scratch on the premises.
Paolozzi's Kitchen
Currently closed
Located inside Modern Two and set around Paolozzi’s vast Vulcan sculpture, this is surely one of the more unusual backdrops to lunch, coffee, cake or anything in between! Inspired by the renowned Scottish artist and sculptor, Eduardo Paolozzi, this exciting new restaurant serves Italian classics made with seasonal and local Scottish ingredients. Come to our counter and try the delicious cakes and freshly baked homemade scones, available all day, every day.
Modern One Shop
The shops at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art stock Scottish gifts, books, limited edition prints, stationery, fashion, craft, design and exclusive products featuring well-loved images from Scottish artworks.
Shop onlineModern Two Shop
Gifts to take home from the major retrospective Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life currently on display. Celebrating Barbara Hepworth's career with books, prints, limited editions, art materials along with Scottish gifts, books, design and fashion all inspired by her work.
Shop online
Research facilities
All visitors are welcome to use our research facilities, whether for pleasure or for academic study. Visits are free but must be pre-booked.
Prints and Drawings Study Room at Modern Two
Housing the international and Scottish collections of historic, modern and contemporary works of art on paper, the Prints and Drawings Study Room gives access to over 35,000 works of graphic art not on permanent display.
Reading Room at Modern Two
Home to our library, archive and special collections, the Reading Room is an outstanding resource on the history and theory of art from 1300 to the present. Visitors can access over 100,000 library items, 6,000 artists’ and special books and 140+ archival holdings.
Gabrielle Keiller Library
The Gabrielle Keiller Library was specially designed by the architect Terry Farrell to house two key collections of Dada and Surrealist books and papers acquired in the mid-1990s.
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.