The National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, presides over the Princes Street Gardens from its location on The Mound that bisects the two sections of the gardens. It was originally designed by William Henry Playfair in the mid-19th century and subsequently remodeled by William Thomas Oldrieve in 1912. Since that time the curators have focused on the growth of its Scottish and European art collections.
The museum is the home to over 30,000 works on paper that originate from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century. It also houses a library that contains roughly 50,000 books, microfiches, journals and slides. Notable paintings within the museum include: The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch by Sir Henry Raeburn, Haystacks by Claude Monet and Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child by Sandro Botticelli. The museum also boasts many land and seascapes by William McTaggart as well as masterpieces by artists such as Johannes Vermeer, Sir Anthony van Dyck, Titian and Raphael.
In 2004, the National Gallery opened the Playfair Project, which includes an interactive gallery area, gift shop, restaurant and lecture theatre. The interactive gallery features virtual displays of the collections of both the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy.
How to get there
The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Served by Edinburgh’s Hop-on Hop-off Tour Bus
Opening Times and Prices
Open daily 10am-5pm. Thursdays until 7pm.
August – Open Daily 10am-6pm. Thursdays until 7pm.
Admission to the museum is free.
More Information
> National Gallery of Scotland Website
> Hotels near the National Gallery of Scotland