16 of the Best Art Galleries in London
Date post added: 10th November 2025
We hate to brag (we don’t), but London has the best art galleries in the world. Paris and New York have great art galleries, but the greatest are right here in London.
From the grand halls of the National Gallery to tucked-away private artist studios, London has over 1,500 permanent exhibition spaces. And with over 20 million people visiting London’s museums and galleries each year, the appetite for exhibitions is huge.
Whether you’re looking for contemporary art or classical, modern art or old masterpieces, there’s a London gallery for you. And what’s more, so many of these amazing art galleries are free. Oh London art scene, you spoil us!
But with so many incredible London art galleries to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. Here’s our pick of the best art galleries around the city – both the big, famous ones and smaller, lesser-known venues.
London’s most famous, must-see art galleries
The National Gallery
Arguably the greatest art museum on earth, The National Gallery is number one on our must-see list. Stand in Trafalgar Square and take in its remarkable architecture before stepping inside to admire over 700 years of art history.
The National Gallery is home to renowned paintings from Titian, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Constable, da Vinci, Botticelli and many other masters of their craft. To see masterpieces like Claude Monet’s Bathers and Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in person is such a privilege.
To understand the story of European art, masterpiece by masterpiece, join our National Gallery art tour on Fridays, hosted by an extraordinary art historian.
The Royal Academy of Art
Founded in 1768 by a group of 40 artists and architects, this iconic institution in Piccadilly champions art and architecture in all its forms. The RA’s annual Summer Exhibition is always a spectacle – it’s the largest open-submission art exhibition in the world.
National Portrait Gallery
At The National Portrait Gallery, you’ll find every era of British life gazing back at you. The gallery brilliantly blends the historical with the contemporary. You’ll see 500 years of British history told through people rather than places.
Fresh from a recent revamp, it’s home to an extraordinary collection of faces. Look out for icons from Shakespeare and the Tudors, to Stormzy and the late Queen Elizabeth II. It shows that selfie culture has very, very old roots.
Join our special National Portrait Gallery tours this autumn. We’ll take a London theme, looking at some of the city’s most famous and infamous residents. For something more exclusive and intimate, explore the National Portrait Gallery after hours with us. It’s really rather special.
Tate Britain
This beautiful gallery on Millbank is a treasure trove of British art. It’s a scintillating mix of much-loved favourites and spectacular contemporary art. It’s an amazing place to discover old and new voices and stories – from the Pre-Raphaelites to David Hockney and Bridget Riley. Plus, it’s home to the world’s largest collection of JMW Turner watercolour paintings.
Each Monday afternoon, you can join arts critic Rick Jones on our Tate Britain tour showcasing the best of British painting and sculpture.
Tate Modern
Housed in a former Bankside power station, the eye-catching Tate Modern is London’s powerhouse for modern and contemporary art. Its Turbine Hall is always a highlight, as is the view across the River Thames from the cafe on the sixth floor. You’ll find big names like Picasso, Rothko and Dali as well as ambitious new installations. Current major exhibitions include Do Ho Suh and Theatre Picasso.
Take our Tate Modern Tour with Blue Badge Guide, Rick Jones, to discover stories of both the incredible artworks and the enigmatic building itself.
Slightly under-the-radar fine art galleries
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Incredible art exhibitions aren’t exclusive to Central London. This intimate art gallery in South London packs a punch. Designed by Sir John Soane in 1811, it’s a Georgian gem that feels more like wandering through a grand country house than a museum. Inside, you’ll find striking works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and Canaletto all bathed in natural light from Soane’s clever skylights. The peaceful surroundings are enough to inspire you to put paintbrush to canvas.
The Wallace Collection
We’re going to call it. The Wallace Collection is the best London has to offer. Housed in an 18th-century townhouse, it’s stuffed with Rococo furniture, Old Masters, armour and one of the most famous paintings in London – The Swing by Fragonard (complete with flying shoe). It’s free, gloriously opulent and a mere stroll from Oxford Street. Currently hosting a solo exhibition of new works by Sir Grayson Perry, this it an exceptional place to visit.
We run special tours of the remarkable Wallace Collection – join us or book a private tour
Courtauld Gallery
Inside one of the most magnificent buildings in London – the elegant Somerset House – The Courtauld Gallery is a jewel box of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces as well as 20th century pieces. Think Monet, Cézanne, the breathtaking Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Manet and Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.
The gallery recently reopened after a major restoration and it’s never looked more beautiful. It’s the sort of gallery where you can see a dozen masterpieces before midday and then have a lovely lunch on the terrace overlooking the Thames.
The Barbican
Inside one of London’s most iconic examples of Brutalist design, the Barbican Art Gallery presents world-class exhibitions spanning fine art, design, photography, fashion and architecture. One week you might find a deep dive into the likes of Basquiat or Noguchi and the next, an exploration of AI and digital creativity. It’s ambitious, intelligent and beautifully unpredictable.
What are the must-visit art galleries in London for contemporary art lovers?
“The Whitechapel Gallery” by Steve Cadman is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Serpentine Galleries
Experience cutting-edge art in one of London’s greenest and most peaceful settings – Hyde Park. It’s where art meets architecture and nature. The two Serpentine Galleries are linked by a bridge over the lake and host rotating exhibitions by some of the biggest and boldest names in contemporary art from Marina Abramović to Yinka Shonibare.
Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery is housed within the Bankside cultural institution that is the Southbank Centre. It’s quite the maverick indie, showcasing some of London’s most adventurous exhibitions. The gallery’s built a reputation for pushing boundaries, promoting artists who like to make a statement (sometimes quite literally on the walls).
Saatchi Gallery
On Kings Road, Chelsea you’ll find this renowned gallery founded by Sir Charles Saatchi. It’s the place to discover new works by young or rarely-seen artists and experimental media. Currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, its an innovative platform for contemporary art and culture. If you like to discover new talent before your friends, this is one for you.
Whitechapel Gallery
This is the gallery that introduced Picasso’s Guernica to the UK. Since then, it’s showcased everyone from Frida Kahlo to Tracey Emin. Its exhibitions are bold, intelligent and often provocative. Visit this remarkable East End gallery to explore the kind of thought-provoking art that sparks conversations and challenges assumptions.
Victoria Miro Gallery
One of London’s largest commercial gallery spaces, Victoria Miro comprises two galleries uniquely connected by a waterside sculpture garden. This North London gallery prides itself in showcasing emerging talent from around the world.
Not officially art galleries but definitely worth visiting
Victoria and Albert Museum
Did you know that The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in South Kensington was the first museum in the world dedicated to art and design? It’s now one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to decorative art and design. The museum’s collections span sculpture, tapestry, ceramics and photography. Check their what’s on guide for the latest must-see exhibitions.
Photographers’ Gallery
This is the UK’s first gallery devoted entirely to photography. It’s also one of the most dynamic. Expect everything from classic photographic masters like Diane Arbus and Don McCullin to experimental digital artists pushing the boundaries of the medium.
Design Museum
A reminder that art isn’t just about paintings on walls. The Design Museum in Kensington is a love letter to the power of design in everyday life. Celebrating everything from fashion and furniture to graphics, engineering, and digital innovation, you’ll find endlessly creative exhibitions inside this stunning modernist building.
FAQs
What is the most prestigious art gallery in the UK?
It has to be the incredible National Gallery. It shares stories of centuries of art history under one, architecturally magnificent roof.
Where would you go to see beautiful paintings in London?
Take inspiration from our curated list of outstanding London art galleries above. In short, we’d say that The National Gallery is unbeatable for old masters. Tate Britain is a treasure trove of British artworks. For something more contemporary, Tate Modern will inspire and delight. The Saatchi Gallery will introduce you to exciting new voices. But a London Walks favourite, has to be the intimate experience of viewing a personal collection of incredible artworks at The Wallace Collection.
Which art galleries are free in London?
Unlike most global capitals, London’s biggest institutions offer free entry. Often, there’s free entry to the permanent collection but tickets must be bought for seasonal or temporary exhibitions.
That means you get free entry to the likes of The National Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, The V&A, the Serpentine Galleries, the Photographers’ Gallery, The Wallace Collection and more.
Tour London galleries with us
You can wander aimlessly around London galleries and see famous artworks. But if you’d like to hear the stories behind them, and truly understand the artist and their works, join us on a gallery tour guided by a superbly informed expert.
Join us at:
We also introduce you to the dynamic street art scene in East London
For something smaller and more intimate, take a look at our favourite private art galleries in London.
Pippa Jackson
Pippa is a word nerd and content aficionado with a background of working in TV on both sides of the globe. She loves to discover and share the diverse and wonderful stories of her much-loved London. When she’s not writing blogs and articles, you’ll find her walking beside the Thames or even paddleboarding on it (in the finest of conditions only!) or enjoying a coffee in the sunshine with a good book.
David Tucker
David – the Seigneur of this favoured realm – broods over words, breeds enthusiasms and is “unmanageable.”* He’s a balterer, literary historian, university lecturer, journalist, logophile and lifelong thanatophobe. For good measure, he’s the doyen of London guides.