National Gallery of Scotland

The National Gallery of Scotland is second only to Edinburgh Castle in terms of visitor numbers. It’s not surprising when you consider the wealth of fine artworks that are housed in this complex at the bottom of the Mound. The Gallery can be split into three sections; the National Gallery building itself, the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) and the Weston Link which is a relatively new development. Do not be alarmed if you can only spot two out of the three; the Weston Link lies underground, linking the two older buildings and can only be viewed from the east section of Princes Street Gardens.

When approaching the gallery from the Princes Street entrance, you will first come across the RSA which is generally used for special temporary exhibitions. The building behind this is the Scottish National Gallery and the home of the National Collection. The numerous pieces that Scotland holds includes works by Titian, El Greco, Velázquez, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Degas…the list goes on and on. In addition to this, a number of Scottish artists such as Raeburn and Ramsay also have paintings hanging in this gallery.

In the Weston Link, lying underneath the two grand buildings found at street level, you will find a shop, restaurant, café, IT gallery and an information desk.