- Harris
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Editor Pick
National Gallery (The)
- April 22, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
callen60 from Ozarks, Missouri
On our first trip to London, we ended up in the Trafalgar Square area on the first day, fighting jet lag in late afternoon. Looking for something help us stay conscious, we popped into the National Portrait Gallery, and decided to save the National Gallery around the corner for a later visit.
And we never made it back. I was determined not to let this happen again. As the website matter-of-factly states, the National Gallery "houses one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the world." Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rafael, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Velazquez… and you have yet to reach the 18th century. Even with two short visits this time, I went home wishing we’d had at least a half-day here (although that may have taxed my teens’ patience).
Like many London attractions, the Gallery has conventional 10am–6pm hours, plus late opening until 9pm on Wednesday evenings. After dinner at a Wagamama several blocks away, my oldest daughter and I charged through the backstreets for a much-shorter-than-planned tour of the Museum’s highest highlights.
There are many. Foolishly trying to balance two books and the Museum map, we succeed in skimming the richest cream off the top of this collection. The Gallery’s website has two-page list of the most significant works. Looking back, I did fit in a number of them. On Wednesday evening, my daughter and I mainly worked from Rick Steve’s 2-hour tour of the Gallery’s best known works, hopping out of one room and into another, which I usually hate doing. But it proved to be lots of fun to do together, sharing with her what I knew (and/or what Rick knew) about each work, and helping her see find the Impressionists she was anxious to see. We bounced from Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait to Michelangelo’s Annunciation and Entombment to the Impressionists. As the hour wound down, we ended up with Van Gogh’s Sunflowers which, as advertised, is practically three-dimensional with its thick application of paint. It’s a great illustration of how much different a work can look in person, with its large, colorful flower practically leaping off the canvas.
The next day, after a mixed experience in the Café for afternoon tea, we split up for another short jaunt through the galleries. This time, I sought out the few Turners that are here. They are significant, though, and include The Fighting Temeraire. This ship was part of Nelson’s victorious fleet at Trafalgar, and Turner shows it under tow to the docks at Rotherhithe on the Thames to be dismembered, flanked on the right by a glorious setting Sun. A steamship is the tug, and this new technology adds to the sense of time passing. 170 years later, it also says something about the end of empire as well.
If, like me, you’re glad to be here but wouldn’t find a friendly, knowledgeable voice at your side, you won’t find much help in the galleries themselves. The titles and descriptions are barebones at best, and one of my guidebooks cautioned against renting the audioguide, which allegedly provides that text and nothing more. With a little more time, I might have popped into the gift shop to seek out a printed guide, or joined one of the many free tours.
From journal London, Free and Easy
National Gallery
- March 19, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
Mandan Lynn from Smithwick, South Dakota
The National Gallery
Open daily 10am-6 pm, Wednesdays 10am-9pm
Almost 2500 paintings, dated 1250-1900
The best thing about museums in London is that most of them are free! The National Gallery is one of them. It charges a few pounds for special exhibitions, but there is plenty to see in the permanent collection. My tour guide said he's worked there for 6 years and has only seen about a quarter of the works in the museum.
Take a tour. Or several, if you plan to be there all day, anyway. The first is at 11:30am; it takes about an hour. The paintings are even more interesting when you have an expert sharing all the little insights about each one.
You can also take an audio tour or use ArtStart, which allows you to develop your own tour.
My favorite paintings were The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, Venus and Mars, and everything I saw by Peter Paul Rubens. Leonardo da Vinci is always a favorite, of course, and there are a couple of his works housed here as well.
From journal More of London
National Gallery
- March 2, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
traveller22 from Natick, Massachusetts
We went to this wonderful museum mainly because it was free! It was quite crowded. Located in Trafalgar Square, right near our hotel, the receptionist recommended it as a good afternoon activity, as we had just gotten into London. Fighting through the crowds was well worth it. Amazing artists fill the museum, Picasso and Van Gogh (my favorite, the one of sunflowers, was there). I highly recommend making it to this museum. I believe that it's always free.
From journal Weekend in London
Editor Pick
National Gallery
- February 15, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
JLDLondon from Los Angeles, California
Out of all the amazing FREE museums in London, this was probably my favorite. It has all kinds of art, from sculptures to paintings and everything in between. A beautiful museum in itself, it contains several hundred European paintings, which I would often visit while waiting to meet someone in Trafalgar. The museum is free and definitely worth a visit. There are several Van Goghs and Monets in the entryway and a huge collection of European paintings dating back to the 15th century. The sculpture hall is also quite beautiful.
If you're looking for more modern art, the Tate Modern is definitely a must on your sightseeing list, as it contains numerous pieces by Picasso, Dali, Rothko, and many, many more. The Tate Britain is also a very beautiful museum focusing more on lesser-known artists and British artists.
From journal London-The Best City in the World!
A Short Sight of National Gallery London
- October 14, 2005
- Rated 4 of 5 by
kausai from Singapore
This is where you can see Western European paintings from about 1250 to 1900. It includes work by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir, Cezanne, and Van Gogh. There are also special exhibitions, lectures, video and audio-visual programmes, guided tours, and holiday events for children and adults.
From journal Lonely London