Without any doubt, art plays a vital role in London’s cultural scene. Thus, when walking in the city, you can encounter the different forms of art almost everywhere. Whether you like abstract, impressionist, surrealist, contemporary, or other styles of art, with about 1,500 permanent art exhibition spaces in London, you will certainly find a few galleries that satisfy all your cultural cravings.
To help you decide which galleries to visit, we have pulled together a list of the best art galleries in London that every art lover must see at least once. Discover these stunning art spaces with us!
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National Gallery
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Tate Modern
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Barbican
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Hayward Gallery
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Dulwich Picture Gallery
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Royal Academy of Arts
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Whitechapel Gallery
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Serpentine Galleries
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National Portrait Gallery
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Tate Britain
The first place you should not miss out on in London is National Gallery. This gallery has one of the most amazing paintings collections in the world. It features the stunning work of big names like Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Diego Velázquez, and Peter Paul Rubens.
Besides, this iconic place located on Trafalgar Square is also home to many temporary blockbuster exhibitions. Visitors in the past could admire, for example, the portraits of Paul Gauguin and more than 75 paintings of Monet during a special exhibition called Monet & Architecture.
Prices: Free (except for blockbuster exhibitions)
Tate Modern is found on the banks of the Thames. This museum has a great collection of international modern and contemporary artworks dating from 1900 until this date. Visitors are free to access the collection. However, in the case of major temporary exhibitions, you might need to purchase a ticket. As part of past temporary exhibitions, the artworks of Henri Matisse and Joan Jonas were shown as well.
Prices: Free (there is an admission charge for some of the exhibitions)
The next art gallery on our list is Barbican. This exhibition venue is a real heaven for art lovers. Check out the best fine art, architecture, photography, pop culture, and design exhibitions by recognized international artists in this gallery. On the ground floor, you can find the Barbican’s Curve gallery which serves as a free exhibition space for some of London’s most interesting contemporary artworks.
Prices: Vary
Hayward Gallery is a well-known contemporary art gallery situated in the Southbank Centre. The year-long exhibition programme of the gallery focuses on showing the fantastic works of some of the world’s most influential and adventurous artists. In the last few years, the visitors of Hayward Gallery had a chance to see the creations of some of the greatest artists, including Tracey Emin, Kader Attia, Andreas Gursky, Antony Gormley, and Andy Warhol.
If you are planning to visit this art gallery in the near future, consider checking out the exhibition devoted to the outstanding works of the legendary artist Louise Bourgeois, featuring monumental installations, abstract collages, and figurative sculptures. This exhibition can be visited until 15 May 2022.
Prices: Vary
Undoubtedly, Dulwich Picture Gallery, the oldest public gallery in the United Kingdom is worth a visit. This gallery is home to an enormous collection of paintings. In the collection, you can find many masterpieces created by some of the best painters from Europe, such as Rembrandt, Canaletto, Poussin, Gainsborough, and Rubens. But if it would not be enough, Dulwich Picture Gallery hosts various regular exhibitions as well.
Prices: Vary
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is Britain’s very first art school that was established in 1768. Located in the heart of London on Piccadilly, this place has a lot to offer for its visitors. A world-class exhibition programme and excellent artwork are waiting for you at the RA.
One of the biggest highlights of the RA is Queen Victoria’s paintbox. Plus, here can be found the only sculpture from Michelangelo in the entire United Kingdom.
Prices: Some exhibitions are free, others require a ticket
If you love contemporary art, then Whitechapel Gallery is a must-see art venue for you. For more than 100 years, the gallery has presented the works of huge names like Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock. Nowadays, visitors can still enjoy a high number of top-notch exhibitions housed in Whitechapel.
Prices: Free
Although Serpentine Galleries may seem to be a smaller exhibition venue, it’s still worth a visit. The Serpentine features a free year-round programme of exhibitions that showcases modern and contemporary art. Previously, visitors could enjoy the artworks of many well-known international artists, including Andy Warhol. Make sure to not miss the Serpentine Pavilion architecture commission that takes place annually from June to October.
Prices: Free
Do you admire portraits? Then you should absolutely go to the National Portrait Gallery. This gallery opened its doors for the public back in 1856 and now it holds the most extensive selection of portraits in the world. You can find here more than 215,000 artworks from a high number of brilliant artists. The most famous portraits you can see in the National Portrait Gallery include the Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare and the portrait of Edward VI by William Scrots.
Prices: Currently the gallery is closed for redevelopment works.
The last one on our list of best art galleries in London is Tate Britain. This art museum is situated on Millbank. In Tate Britain, you can see various types of art, including paintings, sculptures, installations, and films. The collection of the museum consists of national British artworks from 1500 to the present day. However, the collection is continuously growing with modern and contemporary artworks from across the globe.
Prices: Visiting the permanent collection is free but there is an admission charge for some of the temporary exhibitions.