Book online
Admission is via a ticketed entry system which must be booked in advance online only.
Situated in the heart of Edinburgh and home to one of the best collections of fine art in the world.
Visiting the Scottish National Gallery
Those visiting the Scottish National Gallery will have their very own special experiences with the much-loved artworks of the nation’s exceptional art collection, as we are limiting the number of visitors in each gallery at any one time. To manage this we've instituted a free, timed ticketing system. Admission is free, but tickets must be booked in advance.
While we've not been able to have you in our gallery buildings we've been quietly keeping busy with getting everything ready for when you return. We have signed up to the Good to Go scheme to show we are committed to meeting current Scottish Government health and safety standards for our buildings and staff.
The Gallery
The Scottish National Gallery displays some of the greatest art in the world, including masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Velázquez, Rembrandt, Vermeer, van Dyck, Tiepolo, Landseer, Gainsborough, Constable, Turner, and Angelica Kauffmann amongst many others. The most comprehensive part of the collection covers the history of Scottish painting – including Ramsay, Raeburn and Wilkie.
The Scottish National Gallery comprises both the National Gallery Building and the Royal Scottish Academy Building. Both of these buildings, designed by William Henry Playfair, stand in the heart of Edinburgh.
We have had to limit what we can safely put on display within the Gallery. This includes not being able to open our upstairs rooms (Rooms 14-18) where the Glasgow Boys and our Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works are normally displayed however we have moved some key works to the ground floor to make these incredibly popular works accessible to visitors. They include Olive Trees by Vincent van Gogh, Haystacks by Claude Monet and Vision of the Sermon by Paul Gauguin. Visitors will also be able to reconnect with other masterpieces such as Diego Velázquez’s An Old Woman Cooking Eggs, Sir Edwin Landseer’s iconic Monarch of the Glen and Sir Henry Raeburn’s Reverend Robert Walker (1755 - 1808), famously known as the Skating Minister. Find out here what is not currently on display.
Getting here
The Scottish National Gallery can be found just off Princes Street in the city centre.
In addition to the transport options below there are bike racks at each site and Just Eat Cycle Hire stations nearby.
Accessibility & facilities
We are currently working on improving our galleries. During this time some rooms will be closed and some facilities will be temporarily removed. There will be limited disabled access to some areas.
Find out more about disabled access at the Scottish National Gallery
About your visit
Opening times
Gallery Open Thursday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
Shop Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm daily.
The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm (last orders 4pm)
What's open
Most of the rooms on the main gallery floor are open for you to enjoy as part of your booked visit. We have had to close some rooms due to the challenges of providing a visit that complies with physical distancing regulations. These include all of the upstairs galleries including those where we usually display Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works and works by the Glasgow Boys. A smaller selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works are included in the ground floor galleries.
Contact
For general enquiries regarding your visit or gallery services:
+44 (0)131 624 6200
[email protected]
Your safety
We've instituted a free, timed ticketing system. Admission is free, but tickets must be booked here in advance. Everything you need to know about your visit can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions.
Smartify
Smartify
Download the app, scan the art, uncover the story.
Discover the stories behind the art with Smartify, the free informative art app. While our galleries are closed you can use the app to explore the artworks in the gallery and learn even more about the work and the artist.
Tour of Nineteenth Century Scottish Painting at the Scottish National Gallery
Deputy Director and Chief Curator Tricia Allerston introduces our display of nineteenth-century Scottish paintings at the Scottish National Gallery. This tour gives you an insight into some of the highlights of this part of the collection, including work by artists such as William McTaggart, Phoebe Anna Traquair, Arthur Melville and James Paterson. This gallery is unfortunately not open at the moment due to restrictions, but we hope that you will enjoy this tour of the space.
Tour of Impressionism and Post Impressionism at the Scottish National Gallery
Frances Fowle, Curator of French art at the National Galleries of Scotland, introduces our display of Impressionism and Post Impressionism at the Scottish National Gallery. The display is currently closed to visitors but this tour gives you an insight into some of the Impressionist and Post Impressionist collection highlights. Artworks introduced by Frances include those by Camille Pissaro, Berthe Morisot, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and Georges Seurat.
Keeping you safe on your visit
We have signed up to Check In Scotland, a voluntary service which enables visitors to quickly and securely provide their contact details to asssist with COVID-19 contact tracing.
Additional cleaning
We have instituted a programme of deep cleaning of the Galleries and will have staff onsite cleaning all touch points throughout the day.
One-way system
To keep you safe, one-way routes are in place throughout the Galleries.
Maintain a safe distance
We are asking all visitors to adhere to current physical distancing rules.
Face coverings
In line with Government guidelines, we are asking all visitors over the age of 5 to bring and wear a face covering. Our staff will be wearing face coverings.
Hand sanitiser
Hand sanitiser is available in key areas, along with increased cleaning regimes in toilets and other high use areas.
Timed visitor slots
We are limiting the number of visitors coming into our galleries via timed visitor slots. We hope that this will make you feel safe when re-engaging with much-loved artworks.
Feeling unwell?
If you or anyone you live with displays symptoms associated with COVID-19, please delay your visit until it is safe to do so.
Smartify
Download Smartify to access our highlights tour, large print labels and get more information about the artworks during your visit.
Featured exhibitions and displays
Cafés and shops
The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant
Located at the gardens level entrance to the Scottish National Gallery, our restaurant offers incredible views east across Princes Street Gardens. The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant is run by Victor and Carina Contini who are committed to sustainable practices and buy direct from a trusted network of over 70 Scottish artisan suppliers.
Enjoy a lunch of Scottish classics like cullen skink and fish and chips or indulge yourself with our all-day brunch menu or an afternoon tea. Advance booking is preferred. Just follow the link below. Alternatively, just drop in for great coffee, free Wi-Fi and delectable home baking at our new Coffee Lounge.
Book hereGallery Shop
The shop at the Scottish National Gallery, stocks Scottish gifts, books, limited edition prints, stationery, fashion, craft, design and exclusive products featuring well-loved images from Scottish artworks.
The shop is accessed via the East Princes Street Gardens Entrance. No gallery visit ticket required to enter.
Shop online
While you're here
Research Facilities
The National Galleries of Scotland offer a variety of opportunities for members of the public to access our resources and view artworks that are not on display in our gallery spaces.
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy plays host to a variety of exhibitions programmed by the National Galleries of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, and others.
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is just five minutes walk from the Scottish National Gallery. Come face to face with the people who shaped Scotland’s past, present and future. The perfect compliment to your visit.
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.