Why go

The Scottish National Gallery, known simply as the National, holds Scotland’s collection of international and Scottish art from 1300 to 1945. It sits on the Mound between the Old Town and the New Town, and entry is free every day. In a couple of hours you can move from Renaissance altarpieces to the Impressionists, then finish in the Scottish galleries with views over Princes Street Gardens. It is the obvious answer to a wet afternoon in the city centre, and a good one on a dry day too.

What to see

  • The Scottish galleries. Scottish art from 1800 to 1945, including William McTaggart, Anne Redpath, Phoebe Anna Traquair and the Glasgow Boys. Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen and Raeburn’s Skating Minister on Duddingston Loch are here.
  • The Old Masters. Titian’s Diana and Actaeon and Venus Rising from the Sea, Velázquez’s An Old Woman Cooking Eggs, and the Trinity Altarpiece by Hugo van der Goes. The gallery also holds work by Vermeer and Rembrandt.
  • Impressionism and French Modernism. A free display of French painting. Works on show in the gallery include Van Gogh’s Olive Trees, Seurat’s A Field of Alfalfa and Degas’s Before the Performance.
  • The Glasgow Boys 1880 to 1900. A free display of the Glasgow Boys painters; Guthrie’s A Hind’s Daughter is among the works on show.
  • Portraits and sculpture. Sargent’s Lady Agnew of Lochnaw and Canova’s marble The Three Graces are two of the best-loved works in the building.
  • Current displays. Anne Redpath: Landscapes on Paper and John Kay: Edinburgh Observer run until Sunday 6 December 2026, both free.

Plan your visit

The gallery is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4:45pm. The hours do not change with the seasons. Advance booking is no longer needed for a general visit; only paid exhibitions use timed tickets. Some rooms close from time to time while displays are changed, so if you are coming for one particular painting, email the gallery first to check it will be on show.

The recommended way in is the main entrance in East Princes Street Gardens, off the Mound. It is the accessible entrance and also leads to The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant and the Gallery Shop. Bags larger than 25 x 42 x 12cm have to be carried by hand or stored in a locker (£1 or £2), and there is no space for large luggage, so leave suitcases elsewhere.

You can take photos of most works, but flash and tripods are not allowed and some labels mark exceptions. Free digital guides, including themed tours, an audio described tour and a BSL tour, are available through Bloomberg Connects on your own phone. On Fridays in term time, Family Fridays bring free drop-in activities from 10am to 4pm.

The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, run by Victor and Carina Contini, is open from 10am to 5pm with last orders at 4pm, and has views east across the Gardens; booking is advised. Cafe Espresso, by the Mound entrance, serves coffee, scones and cakes from 10am to 4pm with no booking.

Tickets and saving money

General admission is free, including the major displays listed above. Some special exhibitions charge, and those tickets can be booked online in advance. If you want a souvenir guide, the pocket Highlights guide costs £7 in the shop. Free family trails, Art Stomps for under 5s and Art Chat for older children, can be downloaded before you go.

Accessibility

The main entrance in East Princes Street Gardens is step-free. Wheelchairs are available to borrow, there is seating throughout, and accessible toilets and a partial Changing Places toilet are on site. Two accessible parking spaces on site must be booked in advance, and there is limited Blue Badge parking on nearby streets. A BSL introduction film, an audio described introduction and a sensory floor plan help with planning.

Nearby

The Royal Scottish Academy stands directly in front of the National and hosts changing exhibitions. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street is about five minutes’ walk away. Princes Street Gardens and the Scott Monument are on the doorstep, and a short climb up the Mound brings you to the Royal Mile, the Scotch Whisky Experience and Edinburgh Castle.