Tickets to the National Gallery in London: Prices, Schedules, and Guided Tours

Located in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is one of the world's leading art galleries and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Founded in 1824, the 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 each year attracted 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 see paintings that are not always available to the public, as they are usually in private collections.

The best option

Official National Gallery Highlights 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 largest and most famous exhibitions in the world and come across works by Van Gogh, Monet, Botticelli and Rembrandt while enjoying the stories told by the guide.

From £23 at Hellotickets

With your guided tour ticket to the National Gallery, you can access both the free permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions, which are renewed periodically. In addition, an expert guide 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 Impressionist Room, where you can see works by Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh, as well as the Renaissance paintings of 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 out on this gallery, one of the most popular and renowned in the world.

The National Gallery of London's collection is among the most outstanding in the world and has traditionally been free to enter, 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 does suggest a donation to help with upkeep.

However, not all of the National Gallery's rooms are free, as it also presents temporary exhibitions that tend to focus on specific artists or movements, which do require a paid ticket. Ticket prices vary according to the exhibition, but generally range from 10 to 25 euros, depending on the relevance and magnitude of the exhibition.

In general, students who can prove their status and people over 60 years of age can access discounts of up to 50% of the general rate. Also, bear in mind that these tickets for temporary exhibitions can be purchased in advance online or at the gallery's ticket office. You can also choose to book a guided tour of the National Gallery.

Useful information

• Opening hours: daily from 10.00am to 6.00pm.
• Address: Trafalgar Square, UK.
• How to get there: Buses N9, N15, N18, N21, N26 and N98 and the Blue and Brown lines on the Underground to Piccadilly Circus station.

Access to the permanent collection at the National Gallery in London is free of charge, so there are no paid tickets required to see its collection of art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. However, for those wishing to see the temporary exhibitions, the gallery offers various types of tickets with prices that vary according to the exhibition and which can be purchased both online and at the ticket office.

Tickets for temporary exhibitions offer reduced rates for students, over 60s and young people up to 25 years of age. There are also family tickets that allow adults and children to visit together at reduced prices and special discounted tickets for those who book their visit during less busy National Gallery hours, such as early morning or weekday evenings.

To avoid long waits, especially if you are planning to visit London during the summer or when a popular exhibition is on show, the National Gallery offers the option of fast track tickets for temporary exhibitions. These fast track tickets can be purchased in advance on the gallery's website and allow direct access to the exhibition, avoiding the queue at the ticket office.

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

At the National Gallery in London you will have the opportunity to access some of the most important art collections in the world, 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 Impressionist Room you will also see works by Monet, Cézanne and Degas. These pieces not only stand out 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 essential works of the National Gallery you will also find paintings by masters such as Raphael and Michelangelo.

In addition, this gallery also offers its visitors the option of taking guided tours or using audio guides in several languages, which will allow you to fully understand the historical and cultural context of the pieces on display.

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

London offers a variety of sightseeing passes that include access to many of its most popular attractions, but the National Gallery, having free admission to its permanent collection, is not usually included in these passes as far as general admission is concerned.

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

Also note that the London Pass will give you access to London's best sightseeing buses, so you can also use it to get to the National Gallery, which is located at a central location in the city, very close to Piccadilly Circus.

The National Gallery in London offers a number of guided tour options for those who want a more in-depth experience when exploring its collection. While access to the permanent exhibition is free, special tickets are available that include guided tours in both English and other languages.

Guided tours are designed to provide historical and artistic context for the gallery's most iconic works, which can be particularly valuable for those who wish to better understand the details, styles and meanings behind each of the paintings. Guided by art experts, you can gain a complete perspective on the artists and artistic currents represented in the collection.

Also, as with 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 be missed by the expert eye of a guide.

As mentioned earlier in the article, access to the National Gallery's permanent collection is completely free, so no entrance fee is required to tour the rooms. However, temporary exhibitions, which tend to focus on specific artists or movements, do require an entrance fee and it is in these cases that certain groups of visitors can obtain better prices.

Among the most common discounts, the National Gallery offers reduced rates for students, the over-60s and young people up to 25 years of age. These discounts are usually applied to temporary exhibition tickets, reducing by up to 50% the box office price of tickets, which generally range from 10 to 25 euros.

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 be able to get to know two of London's cultural epicentres, but also save money.

It is also important to note that special discounts are available 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 at off-peak times. In addition, the gallery occasionally runs special promotions that allow you to save on tickets to temporary exhibitions.

The National Gallery in London 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 paying an entrance fee.

However, for temporary paying exhibitions, the gallery offers discounted or free admission for children, depending on age and the particular exhibition. Generally, children under the age of 12 are admitted free of charge to temporary exhibitions, provided they are accompanied by an adult who has purchased a ticket. In this way, the gallery offers one of the best things 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 adapted for young audiences. Also, if you are planning to visit London in December, as is the case in other parts of the city, you will find Christmas-themed rooms and other Christmas Eve activities in this exhibition.

Buying tickets for the National Gallery's temporary exhibitions 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 particularly cumbersome during busy periods such as weekends or tourist seasons.

Also, by purchasing 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 allow you to get better prices than you would get if you purchase tickets at the time of your visit.

Also note that booking in advance will allow you to organise a detailed itinerary that will allow you to make the most of your time and discover other sites in and around the English capital where you can take a trip to Stonehenge, see 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 of charge, which means that throughout the year it receives a large number of visitors. This is why I advise you to choose the off-peak times, which are during the early hours of the day or during the 14.00 to 16.00 hours.
• Set aside several hours for the visit. Although each visitor has his or her own pace and it is very difficult to determine how long this tour will take you, bear in mind that due to the large number of rooms and works on display you will need between 3 and 4 hours to get to know the exhibition. To this you will need to 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 advise you to buy your tickets in advance. This way you will be able to secure your place and also get better prices because the rates are dynamic and increase for last minute purchases.