NATIONAL GALLERY TOUR - London 2015 - page 214

Tours: Free one-hour overview tours leave from the Sainsbury Wing info desk daily at
11:30 and 14:30, plus Fri at 19:00 and Sat-Sun at 16:00. Ask the info desk about
10-minute talks on individual paintings, Mon-Fri at 16:00.
The audioguides are excellent. Choose from the one-hour highlights tour, several
theme tours, or a tour option that lets you dial up info on any painting in the museum
( £ 3.50).
The Gallery's ArtStart computer terminals help you study any artist, style, or topic
in the museum, and print out a tailor-made tour map. You'll find plenty of terminals in
the comfy Espresso Bar on the ground floor of the main building (described below); a
few more (but without the ability to print) are just inside the entrance of the Sainsbury
Wing, and also hiding behind a partition upstairs in the passage between the Sainsbury
Wing and the main building.
The museum is surprisingly family-friendly (especially on Sunday mornings).
Check their website for a variety of kids' activities.
Length of This Tour: Allow 1.5 hours. If you have less time, the can't-miss pieces are
Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, Leonardo's Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John
the Baptist, Rembrandt's Belshazzar's Feast and self-portraits, Velázquez's Rokeby
Venus , Turner's Fighting Téméraire, the Impressionists, and Van Gogh's Sunflowers .
Cloakroom: Cloakrooms are at each entrance (free, but £ 1 suggested donation). You can
take a small bag into the museum.
Photography: Photos are strictly forbidden.
Cuisine Art: There are three eateries in the Gallery. The National Dining Rooms, located
on the first floor of the Sainsbury Wing, has a classy, table-service restaurant ( £ 13-20
main dishes) and cheaper bakery next door ( £ 8-12 meals). The National Café, located
near the Getty Entrance, has a table-service restaurant ( £ 15-20 entrées) and an adjoin-
ing sandwich/soup/salad/pastry café ( £ 4-5). Both places offer afternoon tea (see here ) .
Seek out the Espresso Bar, near the Portico and Getty entrances, for soft couches,
sandwiches, and ArtStart computers. Outside the Gallery, several options are on or
near Trafalgar Square (see here ) .
Starring: You name it—Leonardo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Monet, and Van Gogh.
The Tour Begins
(See “National Gallery” map, here .)