Scottish National Gallery
Scotland’s national collection of fine art on the Mound.
The Scottish National Gallery, now branded simply as the National by National Galleries Scotland, stands on The Mound between Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town, just off Princes Street. William Henry Playfair designed its neoclassical temple-like building, and it opened to the public in 1859. Right next to it is the Royal Scottish Academy building, also by Playfair and often mistaken for the gallery, which hosts major exhibitions.
The gallery holds Scotland's national collection of fine art, covering Scottish and European painting and sculpture from around 1300 to 1945. General admission is free and some special exhibitions charge. Visitors can find works by Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Velázquez and Vermeer alongside Scottish artists such as Allan Ramsay, Henry Raeburn and the Scottish Colourists. The Gardens entrance in East Princes Street Gardens leads to cafés, shops and the link to the Academy building.
Highlights
- Old Masters including Titian, Rembrandt and Velázquez
- Raeburn's 'The Skating Minister' and other Scottish masterpieces
- Playfair's red-walled octagonal picture galleries
- Link to the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition spaces
