About The National Gallery
Originally opened in 1824, the British government established The National Gallery “for the enjoyment and education of all.” This fantastic art gallery sits in the heart of London, just next to Trafalgar Square. This is a must see for your next visit to London. This post will provide a summary of what you can expect on your visit, how to get there, The National Gallery’s Bag Policy, cloakroom prices, and nearby luggage storage options.
Permanent Displayed Artwork
The National Gallery’s permanent art collection boasts over 2,600 paintings that covers Western European art from mid 1200s to about 1900 AD. Visitors can enjoy masterpieces from the Dutch and Flemish Golden Age, Italian Renaissance, Spanish Baroque, French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, as well as major British landscapes and portraits. Almost all of these works remain on display throughout the year, offering a comprehensive journey through European history painting from Giotto to Cézanne.
Here is a small sample of paintings on display.
(1) Sunflowers (1888) by Vincent van Gogh
(2) The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein the Younger
(3) The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) by Jan van Eyck
The National Gallery Address
Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DNEntrance is via Trafalgar Square.
Admission
Admission is free, but make sure that you book your ticket online. Do you have 7 or more people going? You can book a group here. Walk-up entry is available, but we recommend booking online just in case it is busy.
Opening Hours
10:00am – 6:00pm (every day)
10:00am – 9:00pm (Fridays)
Closed from 24-26 December and 1 January
The National Gallery Bag Policy
They urge visitors to bring minimal items with them, including no large bags. All entrances have metal detectors and where they inspect the bags.
Baby buggies and oversized bags containing necessary medical equipment, or equipment for use in nursing and baby care, will be allowed in the building subject to the owners agreeing that these items may need to be inspected on entering the building.
Folding bicycles are accepted in the cloakroom Level -1 Sainsbury Wing.
Maximum bag size is 22in x 10in x 18in (56cm x25cm x 45cm)
Prohibited Items
- Wheeled luggage, including cabin bags, and suitcases
- Large umbrellas (allowed in cloakroom)
- Backpacks & large items are not allowed into paid exhibitions
- Adult scooters or other large items
Cloakroom Storage
Cloakroom storage is available on Level 1 – Sainsbury Wing. The cloakroom closes 15 minutes before the gallery closes: daily at 5:45pm (8:45pm Fridays).
The maximum bag size allowed in the building is 22in x 10in x 18in (56cm x 25cm x 45cm) and must be checked into the cloakrooms on arrival. This means that no suitcases or large items are allowed at all into art gallery. You must find storage elsewhere for these large items.
The National Gallery Cloakroom Prices
- £3 Coat
- £3 Bag – max size: 22in x 10in x 18in (56cm x 25cm x 45cm)
Luggage Storage near The National Gallery
CitySpareSpace offers luggage storage in trusted shops all over London. Our closest luggage storage location to The National Gallery is less than 5-minutes walk away.
Photo Credit
The National Gallery
Photo by A Miah on Unsplash.com
(1) Sunflowers (1888) by Vincent Van Gogh
Wikimedia Commons (public domain) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Sunflowers_(1888,_National_Gallery_London).jpg
(2) The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein the Younger
Wikimedia Commons (public domain, Google Art Project scan) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Holbein_the_Younger_-_The_Ambassadors_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
(3) The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) by Jan van Eyck
Wikimedia Commons (public domain) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Van_Eyck_-_Arnolfini_Portrait.jpg
