There’s a huge pool of art museums and galleries spread across London, and it can be hard to keep track of them all so I’ve put together this list.
This isn’t a complete list of every venue that exhibits art in London, but it’s pretty comprehensive and I’ll update this list when I discover more. In the meanwhile, it covers huge institutions like Tate Modern and Tate Britain, to smaller, more niche venues such as the Estorick Collection which only specialises in modern Italian art.
In contrast to the art museums, you’ll find commercial galleries such Gagosian that represent blue-chip artists of the day, to lessen-known galleries that represent emerging artists.
Hopefully you’ll discover some galleries you didn’t know existed – and no matter how deep your interest in art goes, I think they’re all worth visiting.
To make your planning easier, I’ve also separated venues by location – central, north, south, east and west.
Central London
Tate Modern
Location: Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Kicking off the list is my favourite art museum in London, the Tate Modern. The venue boasts an international collection of modern and contemporary artworks that few can rival. The gallery opened in 2000, making use of the old Bankside Power Station. It was designed by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed Battersea Power Station and Waterloo Bridge. It was converted by Herzog & de Meuron, who returned to oversee a huge extension project in 2012 which included the opening of the Tanks in 2012, and ended with the brand-new Switch House extension in 2016.
Tip: To avoid the crowds go on a Friday or Saturday evening when the museum stays open until 10pm. You should also hit the restaurant which not only boasts an excellent menu, but incredible panoramic views of London.
The National Gallery
Location: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
Overlooking Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery arguably houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world. It contains over 2,300 works, including many famous works, such as van Eyck’s ‘Arnolfini Portrait’, Velázquez’s ‘Rokeby Venus’, Turner’s ‘Fighting Temeraire’ and Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’. And just like many of the museums in this list, the admission to see them is free.
The National Portrait Gallery
Location: St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE
Located next to the National Gallery is the National Portrait Gallery. It houses the world’s largest collection of personalities and faces, from the late Middle Ages to the present day.
Visitors come face-to-face with the people who have shaped British history, from kings and queens to musicians and film stars. Artists featured range from Hockney to Auerbach, and the collection includes work across all media, from painting and sculpture to photography and video. As well as the permanent displays, the National Portrait Gallery has a diverse programme of exhibitions and free events, and a stunning rooftop restaurant with spectacular views across the London skyline.
Tip: If you’re looking for something to do on a Friday night, why not attend one of the free drawing classes pictured above?
Wallace Collection
Location: Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN
The Wallace Collection displays superb works of art in a breath-taking historic London town house. The 28 rooms, many recently refurbished with elaborate gilding and wall silks, present collections of French 18th-century painting, furniture and porcelain (many once owned by Madame de Pompadour and Queen Marie-Antoinette) together with paintings by Titian, Rembrandt and Gainsborough. Try and time your visit with your appetite, and dine in the beautiful courtyard restaurant.
Royal Academy
Location: Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 0BD
Founded in 1768, this is the world’s foremost artist- and architect-led institution and the country’s oldest society concerned solely with the fine arts. Now celebrating 250 years, the Royal Academy – Britain’s first art school – has recently expanded its campus, bringing in new free displays. Housed in the extravagantly Palladian Burlington House, the RA’s biggest event is the Summer Exhibition (pictured above), which draws from works entered by the public as well its Royal Academicians. All works are exhibited to buy so you may come away with an original piece of art if the price is right!
Tate Britain
Location: Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG
Set inside a building that was formerly used as a prison, Tate Britain holds the largest collection of British art in the world. The displays catalogue British art from 1500 to the present day. See masterpieces by JMW Turner, John Constable, Joshua Reynolds, as well as outstanding modern and contemporary art from Francis Bacon (look out for his glorious triptych, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion ), Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney and Henry Moore – to name a few.
Gagosian Gallery
Location: 20 Grosvenor Hill, Mayfair, London W1K 3QD
One of world’s largest chain of art galleries, Gagosian, has three set up in London but the one at Grosvenor Hill is home to the largest collection. It showcases an ever-changing programme of contemporary art by the likes of Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jackson Pollock and Picasso.
Recently I went to see the Francis Bacon exhibition which blew my mind – there hasn’t been a retrospective of his work like this in years. It’s on until the end of August (2019) so get there quick.
Stephen Friedman Gallery
Location: 5–6 Cork Street London, W1S 3LQ
If you want to experience fun and original works from emerging and mid-career artists, Stephen Friedman Gallery is the gallery for you.
Stephen Friedman Gallery was founded in 1995 with a focus on representing emerging and established artists from around the world.
The gallery represents over thirty artists, whose areas of interest include conceptual and minimal approaches, abstraction and figuration in painting, sculpture, video and installation. A few of my favourites artists represented by Stephen Friedman include figurative painter Sarah Ball, sculptor and installation artist Jonathan Baldock, and multidisciplinary artist Sky Glabush.
North London
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
Location: 39A Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN
The Estorick Collection is Britain’s only museum dedicated to modern Italian art, and also the smallest museum on this list.
The collection is spread across six rooms within a beautiful Georgian villa in Islington’s Canonbury Square. It is home to an extensive display of Futurist works by Balla, Boccioni, Carrà, Russolo and Severini, as well as paintings and sculptures from 1895 to the 1950s, by many artists, including the great Modigliani whose self-portrait can be found hanging on the wall.
Perhaps my favourite works, however, are the paintings and sketches of Giorgio Morandi – simplicity at its finest.
South London
White Cube
Location: 144 – 152 Bermondsey Street. London SE1 3TQ
The ambiguously named, White Cube, is a gallery representing international, high-profile artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Tracey Emin, Gilbert & George, Damien Hirst and many more. White Cube’s galleries showcase art at three venues, two in London (Bermondsey and Mason’s Yard) and one in Hong Kong.
If you’re looking for other things to do in the area, check out my guide to Bermondsey Street.
Newport Street Gallery
Location: Newport St, Lambeth, London SE11 6AJ
Damien Hirst grew up in Leeds and is now one of the world’s most famous artists and art collectors. His collection is so vast he decided to open his own gallery in Vauxhall in 2015. As you might expect, you’ll find a lot of his own work as well as his contemporaries including, Jeff Koons, Ashley Bickerton, Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas. You’ll also find work by Francis Bacon who Hirst has called one of the greatest painters of all time – and I agree.
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Location: Gallery Rd, Dulwich, London SE21 7AD
The Dulwich Picture Gallery was England’s very first purpose built public art gallery. It houses one of the country’s finest collections of Old Masters, rich in Western European Baroque paintings and British portraits from Tudor times to the 19th century. Famous works include those by Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Rembrandt and Canaletto.
East London
Whitechapel Gallery
Location: 77-82 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX, United Kingdom.
Originally founded in 1901, the Whitechapel Gallery has been a witness to the evolution of art over the decades. From showcasing avant-garde exhibitions to providing a platform for emerging artists, the gallery has been a cultural cornerstone in the ever-changing landscape of London’s East End.
Over the years, the Whitechapel Gallery has curated important exhibitions, including the first-ever UK exhibition of Mark Rothko, and the first major solo show of YBA artist Sarah Lucas to name only a few.
Located just around the corner from London’s famous Brick Lane, I recommend exploring the surrounding area once you’ve finished exploring the gallery.
Victoria Miro Gallery
Location: 16 Wharf Rd, Hoxton, London N1 7RW
The Victoria Miro Gallery is probably my favourite small gallery in London. It’s located inside a refurbished Victorian brick warehouse in a striking contemporary style. With sun flooding through various architectural windows and gaps, and art pieces hung on clean white walls, it’s the perfect space to enjoy their exhibitions from a selection of world-famous artists. I recently went to see Yayoi Kusama’s latest breath-taking show, The Moving Moment When I Went to the Universe
West London
Saatchi Gallery
Location: Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY
The Saatchi Gallery was opened in 1985 by Charles Saatchi and has occupied several venues across London, but has been in its current location in Chelsea since 2008. The exhibitions focus on young artists and international artists who have rarely been seen in the UK. As a result, showing at the gallery has provided a springboard to launch the careers of relatively unknown artists.
In recent times, admittedly, I don’t think the shows here have been particularly exciting. It used to serve up more cutting edge works, but I guess it’s hard for galleries to keep reinventing. Sometimes shows are a hit, and something they’re a miss. However, it’s a free gallery so it’s always worth checking out.
One Response
Great list. These museums and art galleries sound so unique and interesting.