National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is one of Edinburgh's most remarkable buildings – a great red sandstone neo-gothic palace which sits proudly on the city's skyline!

About National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait

	1 Queen Street, Edinburgh New Town EH2 1JD
	01316246200
	National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait Website
	Follow NatGalleriesSco on Twitter
	Facebook information can be found here
	Follow natgalleriessco on Instagram

Listed Under Attractions - Art Galleries / Attractions - Days Out

A neo-Gothic palace dedicated to exploring various aspects of the Scottish story, this gallery is a hidden gem right at the heart of Edinburgh. The art tells you stories of the land and its people, through the medium of imagery.

Meet with friends in the welcoming Café Portrait. Find other familiar faces when you discover contemporary portraits of pop culture icons like Billy Connolly, Emeli Sandé and Tilda Swinton in the galleries above. You will spot recent pioneers in science, sport and the arts and sit alongside famous historical figures such as Mary Queen of Scots, Robert Burns and Charles Edward Stuart.

The gallery is decorated in elaborate murals and sculptural embellishments inside and out - really, take time to look up at the Zodiac ceiling in the world-famous Great Hall. Seriously, it is like 2,000 golden stars and 47 constellations! Bedazzling.

We take every opportunity to ensure the details for National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait are accurate, if any of the above information is incorrect we would appreciate if you could take a minute to suggest an edit.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our What's On Edinburgh Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our @WhatOnEdinburgh Twitter or Instagram accounts and you're all set!

Upcoming Events at National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait

Exhibitions

The World of King James VI and I

26th April 2025 - 14th September 2025

National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait, Edinburgh New Town

Marking the 400-year anniversary of King James’s death, this exhibition will chart his remarkable reign through stories of friendship, family, feuds and ambition.

Shopping

Tea Green Summer Market: National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait

9th August 2025 - 10th August 2025

National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait, Edinburgh New Town

Join Tea Green for an unforgettable Summer Market at the National Galleries Scotland: Portrait on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August!

National Galleries of Scotland: Modern

73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh West EH4 3DR

Home to Scotland's outstanding national collection of modern and contemporary art, the National Galleries of Scotland includes two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two.

National Galleries of Scotland: National

Scottish National Gallery The Mound, Edinburgh Old Town EH2 2EL

The Scottish National Gallery is one of Scotland's top free visitor attractions. It is made up of three interconnected buildings, right in the heart of Edinburgh!

Art Galleries

Scottish Storytelling Centre

43 - 45 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1SR

The Scottish Storytelling Centre is a vibrant arts venue with a seasonal programme of live storytelling and theatre, music, workshops and festivals.

Art Galleries

Open Eye Gallery

34 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh New Town EH3 6QE

The Open Eye Gallery offers an extensive and varied exhibition programme of Scottish contemporary painting, printmaking and applied arts throughout the year.

Art Galleries

Scot ART

151 London Road, Edinburgh East EH7 6AE

A Scotland based arts charity, creating places for creative people.

Art Galleries

McNaughtans Bookshop and Gallery

3a & 4a Haddington Place, Edinburgh New Town EH7 4AE

McNaughtan's Bookshop, established in 1957, is a second-hand and antiquarian bookshop in central Edinburgh, probably the longest established business of its kind in Scotland.

Art Galleries

Stick Factory

69 Mayfield Road, Edinburgh South EH9 3AA

Stickfactory Creative is a multifaceted team of artists, designers and builders.

Art Galleries

The Sutton Gallery

18A Dundas Street, Edinburgh New Town EH3 6HZ

The Sutton Gallery is based on Dundas Street in Edinburgh's New Town gallery district, specialising in modern British and European art at affordable prices...

Art Galleries

The Scottish Gallery

6 Dundas Street , Edinburgh New Town EH3 6HZ

The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh is the oldest and largest private Gallery in Scotland.

Art Galleries

Powderhall Bronze Editions

4-5 Summer Place, Stockbridge EH3 5NR

Powderhall Bronze Editions is a contemporary fine art gallery situated in the Canonmills area of Edinburgh, near to the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Art Galleries

City Art Centre

2 Market Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1DE

Enjoy a visit to the City Art Centre, a main Edinburgh art gallery with one of the best collections of Scottish art.

Art Galleries

&Gallery

3 Dundas Street, Edinburgh New Town EH3 6QG

Established in 2017, &Gallery is contemporary visual art gallery located at 3 Dundas Street, in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town and art gallery district.

Art Galleries

Collective Edinburgh

City Observatory 38 Calton Hill, Edinburgh New Town EH7 5AA

Collective brings people together around new art, inspiring fresh ways of looking, questioning and thinking from our unique home on Calton Hill, Edinburgh.

Art Galleries

Studio Bizio

20a Raeburn Place, Stockbridge EH4 1HN

Studio Bizio is Photography Gallery based in Edinburgh, Specialising in 20th Century & Contemporary Photography but with occasional forays into other...

All Art Galleries listings in Edinburgh