Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The National Gallery lets you tour Europe's art without ever crossing the Channel. With so
many exciting artists and styles, it's a fine overture to art if you're just starting a European
trip, and a pleasant reprise if you're just finishing. The “National Gal”—with Britain's
greatest collection of paintings—is always a welcome interlude from the bustle of London
sightseeing.
This tour gives you a quick chronological sweep through art history: medieval holi-
ness, Renaissance realism, Dutch detail, Baroque excess, British restraint, and the colorful
French Impressionism that leads to the modern world. Cruise like an eagle with wide
eyes for the big picture, seeing how each style progresses into the next. Enjoy the biggies
quickly, leaving yourself with enough time to circle back and browse.
(See “Westminster Walk” map,
here
.)
Cost:
Free, but suggested donation of
£
4 (consider depositing your loose change here).
Special exhibits require an admission fee.
Hours:
Daily 10:00-18:00, Fri until 21:00, last entry to special exhibits 45 minutes before
closing.
Getting There:
It's as central as can be, overlooking Trafalgar Square, a 15-minute walk
from Big Ben and 10 minutes from Piccadilly. The closest Tube stop is Charing Cross
or Leicester Square. Handy buses #9, #11, #15, and #24 (among others) pass by (see
Information:
The information desk in the lobby has a
£
1 floor plan (similar to this topic's
map, but with a few masterpieces highlighted) and a schedule of upcoming events and
lunchtime lectures. The National Gallery loans out many paintings, so some of the
canvases mentioned in this tour may not be on display. Special exhibitions sometimes
force paintings in the permanent collection to be moved, usually temporarily. If you
can't find a particular piece, ask the attendants stationed in each room. Info tel. 020/
7747-2885, switchboard tel. 020/7839-3321,
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
.
