The art Galleries in London are one of the city’s most distinctive features. You may find examples of one of the city’s greatest and most thriving art exhibitions practically anywhere. Approximately 1,500 of the city’s exhibition venues are permanent, and most of them are free.
You can find a gallery that suits your tastes in art, whether they lean toward the modern or the classical, the ancient or the new. Nonetheless, picking an art exhibition might be difficult if you’ve seen all the London galleries.
One of the world’s most active and diversified art galleries is found in London. With more than 1,500 galleries, prestigious auction houses, museums, art fairs, and art exhibitions, London’s contemporary art scene is one of the largest in the world and a major draw for artists and art enthusiasts from around the globe. International mega-galleries like David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, and Gagosian Gallery may be found in the Mayfair district’s centre area. Art aficionados of all tastes will find more art venues in London’s East End and a developing art scene south of the Thames than they can possibly explore while visiting the city. Let’s explore vibrant art Galleries in London.
Here are a few art galleries In London:
Table of Contents
1. National Gallery
The National Gallery is one of the London art galleries that are a must-see for anyone with a penchant for classical art. this massive neoclassical building, which has been welcoming guests since 1838, overlooks Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column.
The National Gallery is home to almost 2,300 works of art, the most notable of which are the numerous paintings by the Dutch Masters, including Rembrandt, and many great examples from other European centres of artistic endeavour throughout the centuries. The Entombment by Michelangelo, The Water-Lily Pond by Claude Monet, and Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh are just a few of the well-known pieces in its collection of historical artefacts.
- Location: London, United Kingdom; Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross
- Opening hours: 10.00 to 6.00 pm. and on Friday it is from 10to9.00pm.
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 7747 2885
2. National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery in London is right next door to the National Gallery and features an even more extensive collection of works. Among its more than 4,500 paintings and drawings is a 1536 portrait of King Henry VII, making it one of the oldest in the collection.
Other members of the royal family depicted include William Shakespeare and the Bont sisters, as well as cultural icons like Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria.
- Location: St. Martin’s Place, London.
- Opening hours: 10.00amto 6.00pm
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 7306 0055
3. Tate Modern and Tate Britain
Tate Modern and Tate Britain, two of London’s most visited museums, are separated by the Thames but linked by the spectacular Millennium Bridge, a one-of-a-kind pedestrian bridge with breathtaking panoramas of the river and city. The Tate Gallery was established in 1897, but its collection has since expanded to the point that a second location was required.
The Tate Britain museum in Millbank, on the north bank of the Thames, features a comprehensive collection of ancient British paintings, including some by Turner, as well as displays devoted to his career and personal life.
- Location: Millbank; London, SW1
- Opening hours: 10.00pm to 5.00pm
- Entry charges:
- Contact details: +44 (0)20 7887 8888
4. Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
The Queen’s Gallery is one of the most easily accessible royal sites in London, and its location on the grounds of Buckingham Palace makes it a must-see for art enthusiasts. It’s one of the most intimate museums in town.
About 450 of the more than 7,000 artworks and artefacts in the Royal Collection are on display, making it one of the collection’s highlights.
The old chapel the gallery is housed in was recently renovated, so it is now a fantastic location for taking selfies. Unlike most London art museums, this one charges admission, but it’s well worth it. There are gift shops and guides available for tours.
- Location: Buckingham Palace
- Opening hours: 10.00am to 6.00pm
- Entry charges: Young Person £17.00
(18-24)- £11.00
Young Person £17.00
Child (5-17) £9.00
Disabled £9.00
- Contact details: +44 303 123 7301
- Official website: www.royal.uk
5. Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum, or V&A as it’s more commonly known, is one of the largest museums in London. It’s situated in the fashionable Knightsbridge area. It has 145 different galleries, and you can easily spend a day there. The museum is spread out across 13 acres.
The V&A’s extensive collection of artwork and cultural relics dates back more than 5,000 years to when the museum first opened in 1852. Jewellery, glassware, and ceramics exhibits, as well as historical clothing, are among the highlights. Astounding quantities of sculptures, paintings, prints, and photographs are also on display.
- Location: Cromwell Rd, London, United Kingdom, SW7 2RL
- Opening hours: 10.00amto5.45pm
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 7942 200
6. Royal Academy of Arts
If you’re at all curious about art or the creative process, a visit to the Royal Academy of Arts is a must. the Royal Academy of Arts (RAA) was founded as a private academy in 1768 and has been directed by some of Britain’s most illustrious artists and architects ever since. It hosts numerous temporary exhibits and shows from its permanent collection.
Taddei Tondo, an elegant and important marble sculpture by Michelangelo from 1504, is part of the museum’s permanent collection and is on exhibit in the Collection Gallery.
- Location: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London.
- Opening hours: 10. pm to 5.00 pm
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: 0207 300 8090.
7. Camden Arts Centre
Camden Arts Centre, located high on Finchley Road, has been working away at its artistic lane since 1965. (it was Hampstead Central Library before that). Before it became a premier destination for Haroon Mirza, Eva Hesse, and Doris Salcedo contemporary art in north London, it served as a community resource for arts and crafts.
- Location: London, United Kingdom, NW3 6DG, Arkwright Road
- Opening hours: Wed 10-9 pm; Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun 10-6 pm
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: 020 7472 5500
www.camdenartscentre.org
8. Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery, located in London’s historic Southbank Centre arts complex, has been
open since 1968 and features rotating exhibits of work by both established and emerging artists from throughout the world. The rather bleak edifice, designed in the mid-20th-century style now known as “brutalist,” has stunning views of the Thames and is well worth a visit for that reason alone.
Past exhibits have featured works by Leonardo da Vinci, Edvard Munch, and Antony Gormley, among others. There is a shop and a café on the site, plus there is a broad variety of other food and entertainment options nearby at the Southbank Centre.
- Location: Southbank Centre
- Opening hours: 11.00amto 7.00pm
- Entry charges: £14.50
- Contact details: +44 20 3879 9555
9. The Wernher Collection, Rangers House, Greenwich
Greenwich has a lot of great things to see, and the Wernher Collection is one of them. The more than 700 artefacts on exhibit in the Georgian Ranger’s House in the southwestern part of Greenwich Park formerly belonged to a wealthy 19th-century merchant and span from rare mediaeval sculptures to famous Renaissance paintings.
Several old French tapestries and an extensive collection of antique jewellery round out the collection’s other notable pieces. The 12 rooms of this luxurious estate are furnished and decorated with many of the original pieces from the museum’s collection, adding to the experience.
- Location: Chesterfield Walk, London
- Opening hours:11.00to 6.00 pm
- Entry charges: 5 – 17 £5.70
Adults £9.50
Reduced £8.60
Family £24.70
- Contact details: +44 370 333 1181
10. The British Museum
The British Museum, found in London’s Bloomsbury neighbourhood, was the world’s first national museum to be run by a public organisation. concerned with the development of human civilization, art, and culture. The museum’s permanent collection traces the development of human civilisation around the world. Inaugurated in 1759, it had its beginnings in 1753.
- Location: Great Russell St., London, United Kingdom, WC1B 3DG
- Opening hours: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and on Monday it is closed.
- Entry charges: Free, but special exhibits cost money
- Contact details: +44 20 7323 8299
Also read: British Motor Museum: A Must-Visit Place With Your Family
11. South London Gallery
SLG stands for South London Gallery, a public gallery of contemporary art in Camberwell, London that has been open to the public since 1891. Additional gallery space, a cafe, an educational area, and homes were all part of the SLG expansion that 6a Architects planned and built-in 2010.
- Location: 65 Peckham Road, London, United Kingdom, SE5 8UH
- Opening hours: 11.00to 6.00 pm. Monday is closed.
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 7703 6120
12. Serpentine Gallery
After much deliberation, the Serpentine Gallery opened to the public in 1970. The Sackler Gallery, in tandem with the Serpentine Gallery, is one of the world’s preeminent exhibition spaces for contemporary art. It can be found in the famous Kensington Gardens. Its summer Pavilion has become an international showcase for cutting-edge architecture, providing a platform for designers from all over the world to try out new techniques and materials.
- Location: Kensington Gardens
- Opening hours: 10.00am to 6.00pm. Monday is closed.
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 7402 6075
13. Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art
New Cross is home to Goldsmiths CCA (Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art), which is part of Goldsmiths University. Offering exhibitions, a wide range of events, and educational programmes, it is aimed at students, artists, and the general public. Laurie Grove Baths, a Grade II-listed building, once used this structure as its boiler house and public laundry. A newly refurbished facility opened its doors in 2018, thanks to Assemble’s efforts.
- Location: St. James’s, London, United Kingdom, SE14 6AD
- Opening hours: 12.00pm to 6.00pm. Monday and Tuesday it is closed.
- Entry charges: free
- Contact details: +44 20 8228 5969
FAQs:
1. Which Art Galleries are free in London?
The National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Photographer’s Gallery, Serpentine Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, and The Wallace Collection are a few examples of free art galleries in London.
2. What is the name of London’s most popular art gallery?
National Gallery of Art is the most popular art gallery in London. In London’s most recognisable plaza, one of the city’s most famous art galleries commands attention! Even though The National Gallery is home to one of the largest collections of paintings in the world, the 200-year-old structure is both a work of art and a significant part of history.
