Gallery visit
Exhibition
Scottish National Portrait Gallery visit
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Come face to face with the people who shaped Scotland past and present. Reserve your free spot for a visit now.
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Booking recommended
Admission free
1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD
Visiting the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Those visiting the Scottish National Portrait 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, and we recommend tickets are booked in advance to avoid disappointment. A ticket gains you admission into the whole gallery, but some spaces are still temporarily closed, so check here to find out what displays are included in your visit.
Although it is not an entry requirement, in line with Scottish Government advice, we would encourage taking a lateral flow test prior to visiting us. Please see below for more information on the Covid safety measures we have already implemented.
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 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 Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Prince Charles Edward Stuart, through to more recent pioneers in science, sport and the arts including Emeli Sandé, Billy Connolly and Tilda Swinton.
Getting here
Located in the city centre on Queen Street, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is easy to access.
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.
About your visit
Opening times
Gallery Open daily, 10am-5pm.
Café Portrait Open daily, 10am-5pm (last orders 4.30pm). No advance booking required.
Gallery shop Closed. Our online shop is open and ships worldwide.
What's open
Ground floor including the Great Hall.
First floor the Ambulatory, The Modern Portrait are open. The Library and Research Consultation Area is by appointment only.
Second floor including Scots in ltaly, The King’s Last Day, Imagining Power, Art and Analysis, Heroes and Heroines and The Remaking of Scotland, Reformation to Revolution.
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, and tickets should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment..
Everything you need to know about your visit can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions.
Families
Enhance your visit with wee ones with our Art Spot guide. You can pick up copies in the gallery or use our online resource. Who will you meet - and what will you spot?
Group visits
We are now welcoming schools and community groups of 10 or more to book free self-led visits to all our galleries.
Safety information
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Although it is not an entry requirement, in line with Scottish Government advice, we would encourage taking a lateral flow test prior to visiting us.
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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.
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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, staff and visitors.
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Admission is via a ticketed entry system. Booking is required at the National and Modern Two and recommended at our other galleries. If you have not pre-booked, entry may be available on the day. Ask a member of staff onsite for details.
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We have instituted a programme of deep cleaning of the Galleries and will have staff onsite cleaning all touch points throughout the day.
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We ask that you maintain physical distancing from others during your visit.
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We ask all visitors over the age of 12 to bring and wear a face covering. Our staff will be wearing face coverings.
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Hand sanitiser is available in key areas, along with increased cleaning regimes in toilets and other high use areas.
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We are admitting visitors coming into our galleries via hourly visitor slots at Portrait and Modern One and 15 minute slots at the National and Modern Two.
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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.
Smartify
Smartify
Download the app, scan the art, uncover the story.
Discover the stories behind the art with Smartify, the free informative art app. Use the app to explore the artworks in the gallery and learn even more about the work and the artist.
Tour of The Great Hall at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Liz Louis, Curator of Portraiture introduces the Great Hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Liz gives us a tour of the elaborate decorative interior and examines the glittering frieze and mural decorations by William Brassey Hole. The Great Hall is a work of art in itself, and Liz explains how the decorative scheme relates to both the outside of the building, and the contents that it was purpose built to house.
Tour of The Visual Culture of the Jacobite Cause
Lucinda Lax, Curator of Portraiture (1700-1800) gives us a tour of the Jacobite display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, home to the most extensive and significant collection of Jacobite visual material in the world. Lucinda gives us in insight into this fascinating display, focussing on the way Jacobites presented themselves in portraiture.
Featured exhibitions and displays
Display
The Modern Portrait
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Display
Heroes and Heroines | Idealism and Achievement in the Victorian Age
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
Display
The King’s Last Day | The Execution of Charles I
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Open daily, 10am-5pm
Admission free
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 tablePop-up shop
Our shop at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is currenlty closed. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. In the meantime, you can visit our shops located at the garden's entrance of the Scottish National Gallery and at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Our online shop is open. We also offer click and collect and ship worldwide.
Shop online
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.