Galleries

National Gallery

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the world’s greatest collection of 13th to early 20th century Western European paintings. NB The Sainsbury Wing is currently closed.

Highlights: van Eyck’s ‘Arnolfini Portrait’, Da Vinci’s ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’, Velázquez’s ‘Rokeby Venus’, Turner’s ‘Fighting Temeraire’ , Botticelli’s ‘Venus & Mars’, Titian’s ‘Bacchaus & Ariadne’, Renoir’s ‘The Umbrellas’ and Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers‘. Address: Trafalgar Square, WC2 Transport: Charing Cross or Leicester Square tube (zone 1) Open: Monday–Sunday 10am–6pm (Fridays until 9pm) nationalgallery.org.uk

National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is closed for refurbishment until 22 June 2023

A comprehensive collection of portraits, miniatures, sculptures and photographs of notable UK men and women from Tudor times through to the present day — from Henry VII to Julian Opie’s paintings of Blur. Worthwhile if you’re interested in the people behind the history of Britain.

Highlights: The Chandos portrait of Shakespeare, Hans Holbein’s cartoon of Henry VIII and works by Reynolds, Van Dyck, Sargeant and Gainsborough. Address: St Martin’s Place, WC2 Transport: Leicester Square tube (zone 1) npg.org.uk