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All 344 Edinburgh Attractions »

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

1 Queen St., Edinburgh EH2 1JB, Scotland
44 131 624 6200
As featured in Edinburgh for free
Ranked #11 of 163 attractions in Edinburgh
4.5 of 5 stars 182 Reviews
Type: Art Museums
Fee: No
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182 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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Date Rating
Oxford
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 25, 2012 NEW

I have always been delightfully surprised at the collections in Edinburgh. It is 8 years since I last visited this gallery and since then it has had a complete re-design which makes it very visually accessible. Great collections as ever. Plenty of stairs given the number of levels - though there might also be a lift though I did not... More

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 25, 2012 NEW

Each of the lovely paintings had write-ups next to them to provide historical context and detail about the person in the picture. (I discovered a painter Ireally like but had not heard of before -- Sir Henry Raeburn.) More

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See 4 more reviews by Rebecca412 for Edinburgh
germany
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 24, 2012 NEW

Wow, that is excactly what went through my mind on first entering the gallery. The paintings in the staircase alone are worth seeing, not to mention all the other portraits and statues. You can spend hours without realizing it. More

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See 3 more reviews by travelingmom088 for Edinburgh
Casteau, Belgium
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 24, 2012 NEW

We spent a couple of hours in gallery and needed more time to see it all! Very well laid out and so much to see/admire. A good way to spend a rainy afternoon in Edinburgh! Thoroughly enjoyed it. More

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See 11 more reviews by Cocotel for Edinburgh
washington
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 22, 2012 NEW

Popped in to use toilet and stayed to view the portraits which are varied and well displayed More

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See 3 more reviews by michael g for Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 22, 2012 NEW

I like the new look Portrait Gallery - especially the more modern part on the ground floor. The portraits themselves may not be everyones taste - e.g I'm not that keen on the more traditional stuff. But the Building itself is not to be missed More

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See 11 more reviews by AnnEdinburgh for Edinburgh
Newcastle, United Kingdom
Top Contributor
80 reviews 80 reviews
Reviews in 46 cities Reviews in 46 cities
103 helpful votes 103 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 20, 2012 NEW

Recently reopened after a major refurb. Free to enter. You could spend days in here but give yourself at least a couple of hours for a whizz around. Top notch stuff in here. I was particularly memerised by the haunting image of "The Three Oncologists" by Ken Currie. More

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See 7 more reviews by The Fat Punter for Edinburgh
Airdrie, United Kingdom
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 19, 2012

It was free to visit and had some excellent paintings More

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See 3 more reviews by Lesley S for Edinburgh
New York City
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
157 helpful votes 157 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 19, 2012
15
people found this review helpful

When you enter the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, you find yourself in the Great Hall. A mural, portraying key figures in Scottish history, encircles the top of its arched walls. The painted ceiling reveals celestial constellations. If you make a right, you will be in the museum's extensive gift shop and cafe. A left will take you to the Contemporary... More

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See 7 more reviews by Suzanne P for Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 18, 2012

I met here for coffee one day and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the renovations. it's well worth a visit. good quirky gift shop if you are after presents and a nice coffee shop. More

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See 16 more reviews by derpink for Edinburgh

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