The National Gallery, London
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National Gallery - by Anas Miah on Unsplash
Description
The National Gallery houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the 13th to the 19th century. Its collection belongs to the government on behalf of the British public and has been accumulated through purchases and private donations. The present building was designed by William Wilkins but has been expanded several times, most notably with the Sainsbury Wing in 1991.
Access & Transport
Very central and easy to get to by bus or underground: Charing Cross station is located right next to it (Bakerloo, Northern and South-eastern rail) with Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus underground stations a 5' walk away to the north.
Instructions & Recommendations
Entrance to the permanent collections is free but some special exhibitions have an entrance fee. Make sure you book a ticket ahead of time as the volume of visitors is controlled. We would recommend spending some time around Trafalgar Square and combining your visit with a discovery of surrounding neighbourhoods such as Covent Garden, Soho and Westminster with its various tourist highlights.
Environmental & Social
Reasonable environment impact to run the museum. There is some dated information about policies to minimize carbon footprint and improve efficiency (e.g. lighting) Positive from a social perspective by helping spread culture and the arts.
Conclusion
The National Gallery is so centrally located with free entrance that, unless you do not like classic paintings or only have a couple of days and have already earmarked another major museum, this should be in your itinerary. In our opinion, the masterpieces and the building's architecture make for a very enjoyable experience.
Key positive
Wide ranging classical paintings so something for everyone
Central location, near other tourist attractions
No entrance fee to the permanent collection
Key negative
Focus is squarely on paintings. Other arts sections could be expanded
Suitability
Suitable for all ages but children less than 12 years old will likely get bored. The main entrance (Portico) has steps but there are 4 other entrances with level access with the rest of the museum being accessible through lifts or ramps
About this Rating
TYPE
Onsite
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:3h
Monday10:00 - 18:00
Tuesday10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday10:00 - 18:00
Thursday10:00 - 18:00
Friday10:00 - 21:00
Saturday10:00 - 18:00
Sunday10:00 - 18:00