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The 11 Best Art Galleries in London (2026)

Updated November 2026 · 11 picks

The best art galleries in London in 2026 are the National Gallery for European old masters, Tate Modern for modern and contemporary art, Tate Britain for British art and Turner, the Royal Academy for blockbuster exhibitions, and the Wallace Collection and the Courtauld for world-class masterpieces in intimate settings.

London's national galleries, including the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery, are free to enter, with charges only for special exhibitions. Book timed tickets for big shows, which sell out, and go early or late to avoid crowds. Several galleries open late one evening a week.

1. National Gallery — Trafalgar Square, Soho & the West End

Free entry to one of the world's great collections of European paintings.

The National Gallery holds more than 2,000 Western European paintings from the 13th to the early 20th century, including Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks and Turner's The Fighting Temeraire.

Entry is free. Pick a few rooms rather than trying to see everything.

Good to know: Download the free floor plan and head straight to the rooms you want most.

Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

Google Maps Website

2. Tate Modern — Bankside, South Bank & Borough

Modern and contemporary art in a vast former power station.

Tate Modern fills the former Bankside Power Station with modern and contemporary art from around the world, with the huge Turbine Hall hosting major commissions.

The free collection displays are excellent; big exhibitions are ticketed. The viewing level in the Blavatnik Building has great views.

Good to know: Go up to the free viewing level for a panorama of St Paul's and the river.

Bankside, London SE1 9TG

Google Maps Website

3. Tate Britain — Millbank, Westminster & South Kensington

Five centuries of British art, and the largest Turner collection.

Tate Britain on Millbank traces British art from the 1500s to today, and its Clore Galleries hold the largest collection of J.M.W. Turner's work.

It is usually calmer than Tate Modern, and the Tate Boat links the two along the river.

Good to know: Take the Tate Boat between Tate Britain and Tate Modern.

Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

Google Maps Website

4. Royal Academy of Arts — Piccadilly, Soho & the West End

Blockbuster exhibitions and the famous Summer Exhibition in Burlington House.

$$ Mid-range

The Royal Academy stages some of London's most popular exhibitions in Burlington House on Piccadilly, and its open-submission Summer Exhibition has run every year since 1769.

Some collection displays are free; major exhibitions are ticketed.

Good to know: Book timed tickets online for big shows, and visit on a late opening.

Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD

Google Maps Website

5. The Wallace Collection — Marylebone, Soho & the West End

Old masters, armour and French art in a free townhouse museum.

The Wallace Collection fills Hertford House on Manchester Square with paintings by Titian, Rembrandt, Velázquez and Fragonard, plus armour and French furniture, all free to see.

It feels like visiting a grand private house, and is rarely crowded.

Good to know: Have lunch in the glass-roofed courtyard restaurant.

Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN

Google Maps Website

6. The Courtauld Gallery — Strand, Soho & the West End

Impressionist masterpieces in Somerset House.

$$ Mid-range

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House is famous for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère and Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.

It is small enough to see in an hour or two.

Good to know: Combine it with Somerset House's courtyard and riverside terrace.

Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN

Google Maps Website

7. National Portrait Gallery — Trafalgar Square, Soho & the West End

Faces of British history, from Tudor monarchs to today's celebrities.

The National Portrait Gallery, next to the National Gallery, holds portraits of famous Britons from Henry VIII to modern pop stars. It reopened in 2023 after a major refurbishment.

Entry to the collection is free.

Good to know: Start at the top floor with the Tudors and work your way down through time.

St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE

Google Maps Website

8. Serpentine Galleries — Kensington Gardens

Free contemporary art in Kensington Gardens, plus the summer Pavilion.

The Serpentine's two galleries in Kensington Gardens show leading contemporary artists for free, and each summer an architect builds a temporary Serpentine Pavilion beside the main gallery.

It pairs well with a walk in Hyde Park.

Good to know: Visit in summer to see the year's Pavilion.

Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA

Google Maps Website

9. Whitechapel Gallery — Whitechapel, Shoreditch & East London

A pioneering East End gallery for contemporary art.

Whitechapel Gallery has shown modern and contemporary art since 1901, including early London shows of major artists, and remains a key venue for new work.

Many exhibitions are free, and it is close to Brick Lane and Spitalfields.

Good to know: Pair it with a curry or bagel on nearby Brick Lane.

77–82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX

Google Maps Website

10. Dulwich Picture Gallery — Dulwich

England's first public art gallery, in a leafy south London village.

$$ Mid-range

Dulwich Picture Gallery, opened in 1817 in a building designed by Sir John Soane, is England's oldest public art gallery, with old masters by Rembrandt, Rubens and Poussin.

It makes a lovely half-day trip with a walk around Dulwich Village and Park.

Good to know: Take the train to West Dulwich or North Dulwich, both a short walk away.

Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD

Google Maps Website

11. Saatchi Gallery — Chelsea, Westminster & South Kensington

Contemporary art shows in a former military headquarters off the King's Road.

The Saatchi Gallery shows contemporary art in the Duke of York's Headquarters, a handsome 19th-century building just off Sloane Square.

Some exhibitions are free and others ticketed; it fits easily into a King's Road shopping trip.

Good to know: Check which exhibitions are free before you go.

Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, London SW3 4RY

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

Are London art galleries free?

The permanent collections of the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery, the Wallace Collection, the Whitechapel Gallery and the Serpentine are free. Special exhibitions usually charge. See our free things to do guide.

What is the most famous art gallery in London?

The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, home to Van Gogh's Sunflowers and masterpieces by Leonardo, Turner and Constable. Tate Modern is the most visited modern art museum.

Where can I see Turner in London?

Tate Britain holds the largest collection of J.M.W. Turner's work in the Clore Galleries. The National Gallery also has famous Turners.

What are the best small art galleries in London?

The Wallace Collection in Marylebone and the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House offer world-class art without the crowds.

Can I see contemporary art for free in London?

Yes. Tate Modern's collection, the Serpentine Galleries in Kensington Gardens, the Whitechapel Gallery and the Saatchi Gallery's free shows are all good starting points.

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