National Gallery in London Tickets and Tours

Located in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is one of the world's most important art galleries and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Founded in 1824, this gallery houses a collection of over 2,300 works of art spanning from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and welcomes millions of visitors every year, attracted by its pieces by world-class artists.

In addition, the National Gallery also offers temporary exhibitions featuring unique works of art from different periods and artistic styles. These special exhibitions, which are among the best things to do in London, often include loans from other museums, allowing you to appreciate paintings that are not always available to the public, as they usually belong to private collections.

The best option

London National Gallery Guided Tour

A tour of the National Gallery in London with the assistance of an expert local guide who will be on hand to answer all your questions.

You will visit one of the world's largest and most famous art collections and see works by Van Gogh, Monet, Botticelli and Rembrandt while enjoying the stories told by your guide.

From £23 at Hellotickets

With your guided tour ticket to the National Gallery, you will have access to both the free permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions, which are renewed periodically. In addition, the accompaniment of an expert will allow you to explore the most emblematic works with detailed explanations and learn more about the life and context of each of the artists on display.

Among the highlights of the gallery that you will have access to is the Impressionists' Room, where you can see works by Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh, as well as Renaissance paintings by Botticelli and Raphael. This is a visual and educational experience in the heart of London.

Recommended if: you are an art lover and don't want to miss a single detail of this gallery, one of the most popular and renowned in the world.

The collection at the National Gallery in London is among the most outstanding in the world and admission has traditionally been free, making it an accessible destination for locals and tourists alike. This means that you can enjoy some of the most iconic works by artists such as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Turner and Rembrandt without paying an entrance fee, although the museum suggests a donation to help with maintenance.

However, not all rooms in the National Gallery are free, as it also hosts temporary exhibitions that often focus on specific artists or movements, which do require an admission fee. Ticket prices vary depending on the exhibition, but generally range from £10 to £25, depending on the relevance and size of the exhibition.

Students who can prove their status and people over 60 are usually eligible for discounts of up to 50% off the general admission price. Please note that tickets for temporary exhibitions can be purchased in advance online or at the gallery ticket office. You can also book a guided tour of the National Gallery.

Useful information

• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
• Address: Trafalgar Square, United Kingdom.
• How to get there: by bus lines N9, N15, N18, N21, N26 and N98 and by the blue and brown lines of the Underground to Piccadilly Circus station.

At the National Gallery in London, access to the permanent collection is free, so no tickets are required to view its art collection, which spans from the Renaissance to the 20th century. However, for those who wish to see the temporary exhibitions, the gallery offers various types of tickets with prices that vary depending on the exhibition and can be purchased both online and at the ticket office.

Tickets for temporary exhibitions offer reduced rates for students, seniors over 60 and young people up to 25 years old. There are also family tickets that allow adults with children to enter together at lower prices, and tickets with special discounts for those who book their visit during the National Gallery's less busy times, such as early mornings or weekday afternoons.

To avoid long waits, especially if you plan to visit London during the summer or when there is a very popular exhibition, the National Gallery offers the option of skip-the-line tickets for temporary exhibitions. These fast-track tickets can be purchased in advance on the gallery's website and allow you to skip the queue at the ticket office and go straight to the exhibition.

Group tours also usually include skip-the-line tickets, which is also the case when booking a private tour of the National Gallery.

What can I see if I buy tickets for the National Gallery in London?

At the National Gallery in London, you will have the opportunity to access some of the world's most important art collections, as well as temporary exhibitions featuring unique pieces, often on loan from other major institutions. The permanent collection includes some 2,300 works by artists such as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Botticelli, spanning a period from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

In the Impressionists' Room, you will also see works by Monet, Cézanne and Degas. These pieces stand out not only for their colour and technique, but also for their influence on the development of modern art. If you are passionate about Renaissance art, among the National Gallery's must-see works you will also find paintings by masters such as Raphael and Michelangelo.

In addition, this gallery also offers visitors the option of guided tours or audio guides in several languages, allowing you to gain an in-depth understanding of the historical and cultural context of the pieces on display.

Please note that the National Gallery is located in central London, near Piccadilly Circus, so it is not only easily accessible by public transport, but you can also easily include it in your itinerary for the area, where you can also book a guided tour of the British Museum or a visit to Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard.

Are tickets to the National Gallery in London included in any city pass?

London offers a variety of tourist passes that include access to many of its most popular attractions, but the National Gallery, which has free admission to its permanent collection, is not usually included in these passes when it comes to general admission.

However, if you decide to purchase the London Pass or book the Explorer Pass, which are among the best tourist cards in London, you will find that other nearby attractions are included, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, so you can easily combine a tour of any of these sites with a visit to the National Gallery.

Also, keep in mind that tourist passes will give you access to the best sightseeing buses in London, so they will also help you get to the National Gallery, which is located in a central part of the city, very close to Piccadilly Circus.

The National Gallery in London offers a range of guided tours for those who want a more in-depth experience when exploring its collection. Although admission to the permanent exhibition is free, there are special tickets that include guided tours in English and other languages.

The guided tours are designed to provide historical and artistic context for the gallery's most iconic works, which can be especially valuable for those who want to better understand the details, styles and meanings behind each of the paintings. Led by art experts, you will gain a comprehensive insight into the artists and artistic movements represented in the collection.

However, as with many of London's best museums, the National Gallery can be overwhelming due to its size and the sheer number of works on display. If you decide to visit the site on your own, you may miss many details that will not escape the expert eye of a guide.

As mentioned earlier in the article, access to the National Gallery's permanent collection is completely free, so you don't need to pay an entrance fee to explore its rooms. However, temporary exhibitions, which usually focus on specific artists or movements, do require an entrance fee, and in these cases, certain groups of visitors can get better prices.

Among the most common discounts, the National Gallery offers reduced rates for students, seniors over 60, and young people up to 25 years old. These discounts are usually applied to tickets for temporary exhibitions, reducing the box office price by up to 50%, which generally ranges from £10 to £25.

On the other hand, you can also arrange a discount on your own, especially if you decide to book a guided tour of the National Gallery and the British Museum. By combining these two experiences, you will not only get to see two of London's cultural epicentres, but also save money.

It is also important to note that there are special discounts for organised groups and for those who buy their tickets in advance through the gallery's website. In some cases, reduced prices are offered for those who visit during less busy times. In addition, the gallery occasionally launches special promotions that allow you to save on tickets to temporary exhibitions.

Are there special tickets for children to visit the National Gallery in London?

The National Gallery in London is a space that welcomes visitors of all ages, and access to the permanent collection is completely free for both adults and children. This means that families can enjoy the works of the artists on display without having to pay for admission.

However, for temporary exhibitions that require an admission fee, the gallery offers discounted or free tickets for children, depending on their age and the particular exhibition. Generally, children under 12 are admitted free to temporary exhibitions, provided they are accompanied by an adult who has purchased a ticket. This makes the gallery one of the best activities to do with children in London.

In addition, the National Gallery organises special activities and programmes designed for children and families, such as interactive workshops, educational games and guided tours tailored for young audiences. Also, if you are planning to visit London in December, as in other parts of the city, this exhibition will feature Christmas-themed rooms and other festive activities.

Buying tickets for temporary exhibitions at the National Gallery in advance online offers several significant advantages over buying at the box office, starting with convenience. By purchasing tickets online, you can plan your visit in advance and avoid queuing on the day of your visit, which is especially inconvenient during busy periods such as weekends and tourist seasons.

Furthermore, if you buy your tickets in advance, you can access discounts and other benefits, which will not only allow you to secure the date of your visit, but also get better prices than you would if you bought your tickets on the day of your visit.

Also, keep in mind that if you book in advance, you can plan a detailed itinerary that will allow you to optimise your time and discover other places in and around the English capital, where you can take a trip to Stonehenge, explore Oxford or visit Windsor.

• Choose the best time to visit the exhibition. The National Gallery is one of the most popular art museums in the world and is free, which means that it receives a large number of visitors throughout the year. That's why I recommend choosing the least busy times, which are during the early hours of the day or between 2pm and 4pm.
• Set aside several hours for your visit. Although each visitor has their own pace and it is very difficult to determine how long this tour will take, bear in mind that due to the large number of rooms and works on display, you will need between 3 and 4 hours to see the exhibition. You should add a couple of hours more if you decide to visit the temporary exhibitions.
• Buy your tickets in advance. If you decide to visit the temporary exhibitions, which unlike the permanent collection are not free, I recommend buying your tickets in advance. This way, you can secure your place and also get better prices, as rates are dynamic and increase for last-minute purchases.