Opening New Years Day: Turner in January triumphantly returns to the National Galleries of Scotland
Following the incredible success of last year's blockbuster exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland, Scotland's own much-loved Turners are back in Edinburgh for 2026!
Article Source: National Galleries of Scotland
Last Updated: 22 December 2025 9:55
Image Credit: Stewart Attwood
Bring in the new year with the eagerly awaited return of Turner in January at the National Galleries of Scotland. Featuring 38 watercolours by renowned artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, the highly anticipated free annual display will take pride of place in room 21 in National Galleries Scotland: National in Edinburgh from 1 - 31 January 2026.
Last year saw thousands of visitors flocking to the National Galleries of Scotland to marvel at a once in a lifetime exchange of Turner watercolours from the Henry Vaughan Bequest with the National Gallery of Ireland, honouring the 250thanniversary of the artist’s birth. January 2026 will mark the triumphant return of Scotland’s Turners to Edinburgh, giving avid fans and newfound admirers the chance to spend time with some of the most treasured works from the Scottish national collection.
Turner in January is a beloved tradition for many people in Scotland. It signals the dawning of the New Year, and as we leave behind the darkest days of winter, the bright vitality of Turner’s work is exactly what we need. Scotland’s famous collection of Turner watercolours was left to the nation by the great art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900. Following Vaughan’s strict guidelines, they have only ever been displayed during the month of January, when natural light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour almost 200 years since they were originally created.
This mesmerising exhibition demonstrates the extraordinary range of Turner’s work in watercolour, including atmospheric early drawings, experimental colour studies, spellbinding studies for prints and book illustrations and exhibition showstoppers. Born in London in 1775, Turner’s combination of exceptional talent, intellectual curiosity and relentless hard work resulted in watercolours which capture the sublime beauty of nature and encourage us to look again at the world around us. In a career spanning 50 years, he developed new ways of painting in watercolour and revolutionised ideas of what could be achieved in the medium. Experimenting with an array of techniques and colour, Turner created works which continue to captivate and excite audiences today.
Turner in January invites visitors on an exciting, colourful journey, leaving behind January blues in favor of Turner’s views of the world, via moody landscapes, impressive city views and dramatic seascapes. Travel across Britain, Europe and beyond through a dazzling array of artwork including scenes of the Himalayas, Venice and the Swiss Alps, to places a little closer to home, from a tempestuous view of Loch Coruisk on the Isle of Skye all the way down to serene Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
This year Turner in January will also feature the picturesque watercolour Virginia Water (about 1829), on long term loan to the National Galleries of Scotland and displayed for the first time since 2020. The work shows a royal fishing expedition on Virginia Water, the artificial lake created as a royal pleasure ground in Windsor Great Park, with King George IV’s newly built ‘Chinese’ Fishing Temple in the background. In the foreground a pair of royal swans seem to be chasing away mallard ducks, a visual pun on Turner’s middle name.
Visitors will be able to immerse themselves further into the world of Turner through a Smartify audio highlights guide, returning for 2026. Free to use on mobile devices, this audio guided tour will give fresh insights into the artwork on display, expanding Turner’s ideas and inspirations and adding another layer to the Turner in January experience.
Summer 2026 will also offer an additional opportunity to enjoy Turner’s work at the National Galleries of Scotland. Join us for an unmissable chance to see one of the artist’s most iconic paintings, Norham Castle, Sunrise, (c. 1845), which will be displayed for free at the National for the very first time as part of a special loan from Tate.
Charlotte Topsfield, Senior Curator of British Drawings and Prints at National Galleries of Scotland said: “After a year of celebrations for Turner’s 250th birthday and the huge excitement of the exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland in January 2025, we are so pleased to be showing Scotland’s Vaughan Turners and honouring Henry Vaughan’s bequest once again. We hope visitors will enjoy seeing familiar friends and find new inspiration in Turner’s glorious colour and light.”
Turner in January has been gratefully supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and the Postcode Culture Trust. Turner in January is a free National Galleries of Scotland exhibition opening to the public at 12pm on Thursday 1 January 2026.
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