National Gallery

The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square holds one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the world — over 2,300 works spanning from the mid-13th century to 1900, including major works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Turner, Vermeer, Van Gogh and Monet. Entry to the permanent collection is free.

Hours & Tickets

Open daily 10:00am–6:00pm, with late opening until 9:00pm on Fridays. No ticket or booking is needed for the permanent galleries — walk straight in. Special ticketed exhibitions run separately and can sell out; book these in advance online.

What to See

With over 2,000 works, it's worth focusing rather than attempting everything. The Sainsbury Wing (Rooms 51–66) holds the oldest works, including Botticelli and Leonardo's The Virgin of the Rocks. Room 34 is a perennial crowd-pleaser — Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Seurat's Bathers at Asnières sit alongside each other. The Turner rooms in the east wing are less visited and often calmer.

Getting There

Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern lines, National Rail) and Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern lines) are both a short walk from Trafalgar Square. The museum sits directly on the square and is hard to miss.

Tips for Visiting

• Friday evenings (open until 9pm) are consistently the quietest — excellent for a calm visit.
• Pick up a gallery map from the entrance — the layout is not always intuitive.
• The rooftop restaurant has one of the better views across Trafalgar Square.
• Combine with the National Portrait Gallery next door, also free, for a full afternoon.

Hours and exhibitions may change — check the official National Gallery site before visiting.