Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh (must see)

No art lover should miss a chance to visit the Scottish National Gallery, which is found on the Mound, just next to the Royal Scottish Academy. When opened in 1859, the gallery shared the place with the academy. It also housed the Portrait Gallery, and the lack of space became a real problem until the Portrait Gallery moved to its new location. But by 1906 more space had been needed, and so the academy moved into the building next door.

The gallery was entirely renovated in 1912. Today it features both Scottish and European art and boasts the collection of over 30,000 paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture dating from the early Renaissance period to the late 19th century. Among them are works by Bassano, Bernini, Botticelli, Cézanne, Constable and Degas, paintings and drawings by El Greco, Titian, Tiepolo, and da Vinci. Lovers of Gauguin will admire “Vision of the Sermon”, whilst those keen on sculpture will surely appreciate “The Three Graces” by Canova.

The gallery also houses an amazing Research Library, featuring over 50,000 books, journals, microfilms and slides, dating from the 1300s through the 1900s, being one of the finest reference libraries in the world.

The Western Link is an underground interconnection between the gallery and the academy. In this area, there is a lecture theatre, a restaurant, and the gallery shop. There is also an interactive IT Gallery where, using touch-screens, you can observe the gallery’s entire collection.

Why You Should Visit:
Good selection of great Scottish and non-Scottish works; an intimate and cozy way to spend a few hours.
Entry is free for permanent exhibitions; a small fee for special collections.

Tip:
Make sure you go into both the main Gallery building and the Academy building behind it.
Note that the wonderful Turner watercolor exhibition goes on show every January – truly some wonderful insights into his travels around Europe.