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The National Gallery is a great place to visit to get a load of some culture. It's in a really central location, being just off Princes Street and the architecture of the building is just about as impressive as the artwork within it.
I came here only on Saturday with two of my flatmates and, although we were pretty hungover, we definitely appreciated the grandeur and history of the place. Some of the paintings are absolutely massive, spanning entire walls in both width and height. My favourite one was an intricately detailed painting of Niagra Falls. There are also plenty of aristocratic men and women from every recent century as well as the usual horses and dogs.
The National Gallery has a great atmosphere and offers a unique look into an eclectic range of visual art.
Entry into here is free so I tend to take most visitors here, not that I'm a cheap-skate or anything!
The different levels mean that you can get a good few hours in here and even more if you really love art, which I don't really. I do enjoy looking at some of the pictures though, but couldn't tell you who painted them or when!
The exhibits that the gallery run are also really good, although I am sure you have to pay to get into them. It is a really beautiful building inside too, and the grand appearance of it all is quite breathtaking.
Another great freebie in Edinburgh!
Having lived in Edinburgh for nearly a year now I finally visited the National Gallery as a friend was in town, which meant I was more inclined to be a proper tourist for once!
I was surprised by the Gallery's collection, and I have to say I may have underappreciated the cultural value Edinburgh has. I believe there're several buildings scattered across the city that together, consist of the National Gallery, but at this particular one, it's possible to see a variety of European art from the 16th century onwards, including several impressionist paintings as well as early Italian and Dutch paintings.
I'm a little ashamed to say we almost bypassed the Scottish collection, which we thought wouldn't be as impressive as the more internationally known art. We did make it down there though and it turned out to be my favourite part of the whole gallery! In my opinion the art down there is very unique, and the artists' methods can be a little more unusual; there were several pieces by an artist that had been completely embroidered, with wonderful detail.
There were many other paintings I took a liking to ,scattered accross the gallery (some Monet, Degas and many wonderful artists I'd never heard of before I got there!) but the Scottish collection is a must-see!
Even if you're not massively into art and visiting galleries, this one is worth it just to take in the building itself.
It's slap bang in the middle of Princes Street and the gardens, and so the imposing building is impossible to miss, with it's huge pillars and sheer size. The main footpath going from the city centre up to George IV Bridge cuts through its grounds, and there's usually a busker playing the bagpipes along here which also adds to the traditional feel of the place.
I have to confess, I'm not a huge art junkie. I only went in because I was waiting to meet a friend and had time to kill, but I was really surprised at how impressive it was. I only had a look round the 'Glasgow Boys: Drawing Inspiration' exhibition, which depicts rural life at the end of the 19th Century, and I'd definitely recommend it.
There was so much more going on aside from that one exhibition, but at that point I headed down to the café to wait out the rest of the time until my friends arrived sipping a cappucino at one of the outdoor tables overlooking the Gardens!
Now I am not normally an art lover. Most of it baffles and confuses me, paritcularly this modern art. To me, art is a picture. And this is where the National Gallery comes in. It was a good few years that I begrudgingly visited here for the first time, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. We didn't look round the whole gallery, but spent around an hour or so wandering around one of the free exhibitions. There were some truly stunning paintings on show, and it made me appreciate the work of a good artist.
The building itself is pretty hard to miss, located right in the middle of Princes St, with its large colonnades on nearly all sides. Whilst this place broke my art museum duck, I haven't been back since. Maybe it's about time I went back.
I really liked this place! I hadn't meant to come here but I found myself with some extra time and I figured I make a stop here. I'm so glad I did, they have some really nice pieces!
Upon entering I asked if pictures were allowed and was quickly told no, but they did tell me there was a shop with postcards of some of the work. While I know he was only informing me to get my money I did think it nice that they offered that since I couldn't take pictures.
There were some beautiful works and many rooms had benches that you could sit in if there was one work you really wanted to look at.... or if you had spent 7 hours walking around the city and you were a little tired.
I was most impressed by one of the guys that worked there. I asked him a few questions and he was very informative. He also had some interesting stories about some of the works that I would never had known had I not spoken with him.
I know little to nothing about art so I have no idea if the works they house are special or important. All I know is that it was a nice detour to my very long walk around Edinburgh.
Stunning architecture at your eye's disposal right in the centre of town, plus a great deal of art to be perused inside, can only mean a high scoring review.
The National Gallery sits grandly on Princes Street marking the historic and scenic divide between old town and new, and is part of the reason why coming to the centre of Edinburgh for the first time is such a striking experience. The castle, Prince Street Gardens, The Balmoral...it's pretty awesome living here, and sometimes I need to write reviews like these to remember not to take the city I live in for granted.
The national collection of Scottish art is huge, and despite having made quite a few visits here, I still don't think I've managed to take everything in properly, as there is so much to see. I can only advise, with strong recommendation vibes, that you come down here and see the National Gallery for yourself, because just seeing the outside of the complex will attract you enough to want to take a wander round the inside.
Some of my fondest memories of being a student in edinburgh revove around these galleries. When I was a young sprog in 1st and 2nd year, my outside subject was history of art. Every week we would have to meet in small groups and discuss the art as well as present on it in the gallery. As my class was 10am, we would all meet outside the gallery at 9.30 and sat in the sun. Bliss!
These galleries are brilliant. They have amazing exhibitions, such as andy Warhol, Monet, Manet and much more. As well visiting artists they have a really strong collection. If you're into art at all then I thoroughly recommend these galleries.
If you don't fancy paying to get in, the gallery at the back is free. Top tip!
Yes, being a student involves lots of drinking, partying and various other activities, but to me, it is also about taking in culture and learning more about civilisation. To that end, the National Gallery Complex is a wonderful tool to do so - its full of art, sculptures and other amazing pieces of work ranging from classical works to more modern ones, and some of the greatest artists in history.
It's very easy to spend an entire day here, looking at the art and feeling very cultured altogether. It's free as well, which is always a bonus.
The National Gallery Complex is the jewel in the crown when it comes to culture in Edinburgh, and I must say, I am rather proud of these two neo classical buildings that sit in the middle of Princes St beneath the castle. For a start, entrance is free (take note Paris and Rome) and it's open daily all year round. There is a great selection of art ranging from pieces by Renaissance painters like Titian through to more modern works by Impressionists like Van Gogh and Monet. If you venture below street level you'll discover that the two buildings are connected underground by the Weston Link, which looks out over Princes St Gardens, there is a great café here and a cloakroom, so you can wander around without fear of knocking over something priceless with your backpack.
If you're not into art, the NGC is still a fantastic place to pop into, even if it's just to escape the rain or hustle and bustle of town.
My Granny often takes me here, I guess she is trying to instill some culture in me. But she also loves art and has a great knowledge so she is my own personal tour guide.
This Gallery is situated on Princes Street and is in a pretty damn impressive building. Entry is free, so a great way to get out of the rain/wind/snow. The Gallery is made up of different levels and is very well kept and designed. Not to sound like a complete dumb ass, but I was impressed by their lifts. Anyway, back to arty part. I don't know much about art so I'm not going to sit reeling off all these painters and types, but bear with me. The last time we went in for a browse we looked at the selection of Italian art dating back to the 16th Century. I found this pretty amazing due to the fact that everything is in such great quality. There is also a large exhibit of Scottish paintings.
It really is wonderful for an afternoon of milling around and seeing which ones you like, and which ones you don't like. The gift shop down stairs is really good and sells postcards of most of the paintings as well as art books and gifts.
Also, the Gallery runs exhibits which cost some pennies to get into. We went to Turners Italy last year which had some really beautiful paintings. Its worth checking the website to see what exhibits are coming up.
Located right off the bustling Prince's Street, the National Galleries of Scotland is our favorite place to slip into when needing a rest from shopping or when we're looking to spend a quiet, rainy day somewhere.
Their galleries are sizable, though not the largest, and their collection is top notch. Includes rare Giorgiones and famous works by Titian, Botticelli, Hugo van der Goes, Rubens and more.
We especially love sitting down with a bowl of soup and a cuppa in their cafe and staring out their large glass windows onto the park after a day of strolling the galleries and wonderful gift shop.
This handsome building houses a modest collection, but the admission is free, so it's well worth your time (and non-money).
They have the famous Canova sculpture The Three Graces, which is probably the highlight of the entire museum. There is, as you might expect, plenty of 18th/19th-century Scottish art, and a good representation of 19th-century French--Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Gaugin--plus a Van Gogh, plenty of 16th/17th-century Italian art, and some 18th-century Dutch. There are three Raphaels, which is quite an achievement, but they aren't masterpieces. You can also see five Titians, a Velazquez, two El Grecos, a Rembrandt, and a Botticelli.
Alas, photography of any kind is not allowed, and, although this isn't noted on the museum map, the docents will swiftly inform you!
i visited the national gallery and absolutely loved it. it's a well-kept museum with a lovely selection of pieces from many periods. the small impressionist collection as well as the lovely northern renaissance pieces were the highlights in my eyes. and it's free!
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Edinburgh
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