iNational Galleries Scotland: Portrait
National Galleries Scotland: Portrait holds the national collection of portraits of Scots, alongside the Scottish National Photography Collection. Opened in 1889 in a red sandstone Gothic Revival building designed by Robert Rowand Anderson and paid for by Scotsman proprietor John Ritchie Findlay, it was the world's first purpose-built portrait gallery. Its Great Hall is wrapped in William Hole's processional frieze of Scottish history beneath a Zodiac ceiling of gilded stars and constellations. A 2011 refurbishment restored the original gallery layout and opened up a third of the building that had been closed to the public.
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What's On
Permanent Collections
Reformation to Revolution
How the Reformation's upheavals made portraiture Scotland's defining art form, as new landed and merchant classes commissioned likenesses to show status. Includes the display James's People.
The Modern Portrait
First-floor survey of modern and contemporary portraits of Scots from science, politics, arts and sport, from Billy Connolly and Sir Chris Hoy to Nicola Benedetti and Sue Black.
Imagining Power: The Visual Culture of the Jacobite Cause
How the Jacobites presented themselves in portraits, drawn from the world's most extensive collection of Jacobite visual material, around the exiled James VII and II and his heirs.
Heroes and Heroines: Idealism and Achievement in the Victorian Age
Victorian Scots from Thomas Carlyle to Andrew Carnegie, with women artists, scientists and suffragists, questioning hero-worship and the values of the age Queen Victoria presided over.
Plan Your Visit
Getting there
1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD, Scotland
Nearest station: York Place tram stop, St Andrew Square tram stop and Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Show on mapHours
| MonToday | 10:00–17:00 |
| Tue | 10:00–17:00 |
| Wed | 10:00–17:00 |
| Thu | 10:00–17:00 |
| Fri | 10:00–17:00 |
| Sat | 10:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 10:00–17:00 |
Admission
Free
Free admission to the gallery and its permanent displays; some temporary exhibitions are ticketed.
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Visitor Information
- Is National Galleries Scotland: Portrait free to visit?
- Yes, general admission to National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is free. Free admission to the gallery and its permanent displays; some temporary exhibitions are ticketed.. Some special exhibitions may charge a separate ticket, so check the museum's website before visiting.
- What are the opening hours of National Galleries Scotland: Portrait?
- National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is open Open daily, 10am-5pm (last admission 4.45pm). Cafe Portrait 10am-4.30pm (last orders 4pm); shop 10am-5pm.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
- Where is National Galleries Scotland: Portrait?
- National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is located at 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD, Scotland, in the New Town area of Edinburgh. The nearest stations are York Place tram stop, St Andrew Square tram stop and Edinburgh Waverley railway station.
- What can I see at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait?
- Neo-Gothic red sandstone palace on Queen Street where Scotland's story is told face by face, from Mary Queen of Scots to Tilda Swinton. Current highlights include Reformation to Revolution, Scottish Portrait Awards 2026 and The Modern Portrait.
- Do I need to book National Galleries Scotland: Portrait in advance?
- National Galleries Scotland: Portrait is free to enter and most days you can walk in. Free admission to the gallery and its permanent displays; some temporary exhibitions are ticketed.. For special exhibitions, weekends, and school holidays, booking a timed slot can help you skip queues. Check the museum's website for current requirements.
- When is the best time to visit National Galleries Scotland: Portrait?
- Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.
Image credits
5
- National Galleries Scotland: PortraitKenneth C. Zirkel, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
- FruitmarketStefan Schäfer, Lich / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Galleries Scotland: NationalM J Richardson / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
- City Art CentreMacfack / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stills: Centre for PhotographyKirsty S. Ross / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0