UCL Art Museum
UCL Art Museum
4
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
UCL Art Museum is home to over 10,000 works of art, dating from the 1490s to the present day. Its collaborations with researchers and artists offer new perspectives on familiar and rare objects through exhibitions in a traditional print room at the heart of the university in Bloomsbury. Highlights include old master prints and drawings, contemporary art from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, and the Flaxman Gallery, which showcases plaster models by neo-classical artist John Flaxman in a Victorian installation under UCL’s dome.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Bloomsbury
Snuggly nestled within Central London is academic and leafy Bloomsbury, an area that boasts walking distance access to many of London's most popular attractions. It is also home to some of Britain's most celebrated museums, including the must-see British Museum. Despite an understandable popularity with students, tourists and day trippers, vast sections of Bloomsbury retain a quiet, residential feel year round and throughout the week.
How to get there
- Goodge St • 5 min walk
- Tottenham Court Road • 6 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
15 reviews
Excellent
5
Very good
7
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
1
TheHappyMuseumGeek
London7 contributions
Jan 2012 • Solo
If you work or study in the Bloomsbury/Holborn area, do yourself a favour - leave your desk during your lunch break and head to UCL Art Museum. It's conveniently located right in the heart of UCL's campus - just pass through the main gates and cut through the Quadrangle to the South Cloisters. Don't be put off by the university atmosphere, as this Museum is actually open to all and a very welcoming place.
The current temporary exhibition looks at Rousseau's life and work, and includes an early copy of his Social Contract signed in fading brown ink in the top right corner by its previous owner, one Jeremy Bentham (who is sitting in a nearby corridor on campus, stuffed with straw). The opening hours are 1-5pm on weekdays.
There's also a wealth of stuff in the Museum normally hidden from view - don't be put off by the whole thing around making an appointment with the curator to see some of the artworks. Whatever you're interested in, there's bound to be something for you: Old Master drawings and prints, Japanese prints, contemporary caricatures of the French Revolution, prize-winning material from Slade students past and present and lots of others besides. If you're after big names then Turner, Constable, Rembrandt, Durer and Van Dyck should keep you happy. It's a great little place, hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
The current temporary exhibition looks at Rousseau's life and work, and includes an early copy of his Social Contract signed in fading brown ink in the top right corner by its previous owner, one Jeremy Bentham (who is sitting in a nearby corridor on campus, stuffed with straw). The opening hours are 1-5pm on weekdays.
There's also a wealth of stuff in the Museum normally hidden from view - don't be put off by the whole thing around making an appointment with the curator to see some of the artworks. Whatever you're interested in, there's bound to be something for you: Old Master drawings and prints, Japanese prints, contemporary caricatures of the French Revolution, prize-winning material from Slade students past and present and lots of others besides. If you're after big names then Turner, Constable, Rembrandt, Durer and Van Dyck should keep you happy. It's a great little place, hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Written January 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lola S
London, OH1 contribution
Aug 2012 • Solo
I visited UCL Art Museum by chance on a visit to UCL to see the Olympic Sculptures. After seeing the Exhibition currently on display 'One day In the City' I felt inclined to leave this little hidden gem a glowing review! I found it amazing that you can get up close and personal with the Art work on display. The staff are incredibly friendly and very willing to answer any questions I had about the exhibition. I will definitely be visiting again.
Written August 7, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susie S
London, UK1 contribution
Jan 2012 • Friends
On at the moment is an exhibition on Rousseau which has some rare editions of his works as well as a collection of French prints and drawings. Don't be put off by the small space! The works here are really fantastic, some really rare things. Also, be sure to look out for the really interesting drawing of a view of London on the right hand side wall as you walk in.
Written January 25, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alice V
London, UK1 contribution
Jan 2012 • Solo
I had the pleasure of seeing both the previous exhibition "Word & Image" and the current exhibition "Rousseau 300". The exhibition space is small but focused, and the quiet space provides a welcome change as it allows you a unique close-up experience with the artworks, and even use magnifying glasses! The UCL Art Collection has an impressive range of works, including original early modern prints by artists such as Durer and Mantegna, in addition to paintings by famous Slade artists such as Augustus John. The current exhibition "Rosseau 300" celebrates Roussau's tercentenary, and includes unique first editions of some of Rousseau's works. I found the exhibition very educational, and the staff very friendly and helpful.
Written January 23, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max H
London, UK18 contributions
Jul 2012 • Solo
As a member of the general public, I visited in the afternoon and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. The welcome was warm, friendly and the willingness of staff to share information about the collection was most refreshing. Any pain incurred in navigating to the Museum was rapidly erased. It's also good to see the Museum embracing digitisation with participation in the BBC 'Your Paintings' initiative
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/galleries/locations/ucl-art-collections-3457
...and this combined with good online visibility should quickly raise the profile of this excellent resource. So pleased this is now on my radar and I hope to return soon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/galleries/locations/ucl-art-collections-3457
...and this combined with good online visibility should quickly raise the profile of this excellent resource. So pleased this is now on my radar and I hope to return soon.
Written July 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosa R
London, UK9 contributions
Jul 2012 • Solo
Just a short walk from the behemoth of the British Museum, this is a peaceful little oasis full of delightful surprises. The current exhibition, ‘One Day in the City’, is a fascinating mix of the old and the new. There are London scenes and characters from the past: terrific caricatures of 18th century London types by de Loutherbourg, prints from Hogarth’s Idleness and Industry series, evocative representations of the Thames - for example, Whistler’s etching of Old Putney Bridge. Alongside these there are modern imaginings of fairytales mixed with futuristic reworkings of well-known urban landmarks. A great pleasure.
Written July 16, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Enjoyable101
London, UK1 contribution
May 2012 • Friends
This is an excellent museum even if a tad small. The staff are really friendly. Thank you to the staff. Good place to visit.
Written March 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erin S
London, UK1 contribution
Jul 2012 • Solo
The UCL Art Museum is full of unexpected treasures and surprises. The intimacy of the space allows for close interaction with the artwork and personal refelction. It is cozy, comfortable, yet holds an invaluable collection of inspiring pieces. The staff is extremely friendly and happy to discuss the artworks, or anyhting else, with visitors. If you are a student or researcher, the resources provided by the Museum are wonderful. I would definitely recommend making an appointment to view some of the stored works on paper, as they really are a joy to see. The range of artworks in the Museum is quite large and it is a great way to see both old master works, as well as those by contemporary artists. Whether you've only got a few moments to spare while you are in the area or are looking for a place to really spend some time contemplating artworks, UCL Art Museum is worth the visit.
Written July 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jacquiessex_10
Southend-on-Sea, UK171 contributions
Sep 2014 • Family
Lovely building, and galleries. the setting is stunning, and the history, very interesting. Nice place for a quick visit if in the area. Also has a nice gift shop selling UCL merchandise.
Written July 5, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
futtock21
London, UK17,226 contributions
Oct 2019 • Solo
UCL has an extraordinary collection of Old Master prints and drawings by the likes of Dürer, Rembrandt, Turner and Constable not to mention graduation works by students of the Slade School (on the same campus) some of whom became celebrated artists such as Paula Rego and Jenny Saville. In fact over 40% of works in the collection are by women artists. Apart from sculptures by the 19th century bro-classical artist John Flaxman which have their own space, the only place for these works to be viewed is the UCL Art Museum a small room with an even smaller balcony. On display today apart from some Flaxman reliefs for gravestones the second part of an exhibition of sculptures by Slade Professor Edward Allington (1951-2017) demonstrating his interest in all things kitsch such as motorbike parts, toy dinosaurs and plastic grasshoppers.
Written October 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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