19 Art Galleries to Explore in Scotland

Dundee Contemporary Arts is a world-class centre for the development and exhibition of contemporary art and culture. It is a vibrant building with five floors hosting unique exhibitions, world cinema, a café-bar, and a print studio.

Gallery of Modern Art is the main exhibition venue for contemporary arts in Glasgow. The gallery displays works from local and international artists and offers temporary exhibitions and workshops.

Gallery Q Dundee offers an outstanding variety of art by artists from across Scotland and further afield. Paintings, prints, ceramics, glass and jewellery are all on display in monthly exhibitions, so there's always something new to see. It specialises in contemporary art, sculpture and applied arts. New exhibitions take place monthly.

House for an Art Lover is a venue for art exhibitions and events, as well as being itself a visitor attraction. The building is situated in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery is the oldest museum in Scotland. The museum is owned by the University of Glasgow, and is named after William Hunter, an anatomist and collector. The museum and the gallery currently houses Hunterian Museum, Zoology Museum, Hunterian Art Gallery, and the Mackintosh House- a modern concrete building, part of the gallery-library complex.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Scotland. The museum has 22 galleries that showcases a range of exhibits including Renaissance art, taxidermy and artifacts from ancient Egypt. It has one of the most notable collection of arms and armour in the world.

Kirkcaldy Galleries is the main museum, library and exhibition space in Kirkcaldy in Fife, Scotland. The museum contains many significant works by the Glasgow Boys. Situated on the ground floor, is the museum's award-winning permanent exhibition covering the town's industrial heritage. The museum also has a cafe which displays examples of Wemyss Ware pottery, made in the town from around the 1890s to 1930s

Kirkcudbright Galleries is located in a B listed 19th century landmark building in St Mary Street in the heart of Kirkcudbright’s historic town centre and within the wonderful landscape of Dumfries and Galloway. The gallery displays an extensive collection of works by Kirkcudbright Artists. It also displays an exciting range of temporary exhibitions throughout the year of historic and contemporary works lent by galleries and private collections from all over the UK.

The Scottish National Gallery is one of Scotland’s top free visitor attractions. It houses Scotland’s national collection of fine art from the early Renaissance to the end of the nineteenth century. The gallery comprises two main buildings, the National Gallery of Scotland building and the Royal Scottish Academy building, both designed in neoclassical style by William Henry Playfair.

It was one of the most iconic buildings in Edinburgh. You can explore a fascinating overview of Scotland past and present though a wealth of imagery encompassing painting, photography, sculpture and film. Its collection of modern and contemporary art dating from about 1900 to the present in two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two, that face each other on Belford Road to the west of the city centre.

The National Galleries of Scotland cares for, develops, researches and displays the national collection of Scottish and international art and, with a programme of activities, exhibitions, education and publications, aims to engage, inform and inspire the broadest possible public. It has a collection of more than 6000 paintings, sculptures, installations, video work, prints and drawings and also stages major exhibitions.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Collection. You can explore the outstanding National Collection in its bespoke 19th century home, from the suite of grand, top-lit galleries to smaller, intimate rooms, and discover the Photography Gallery and the atmospheric Victorian Library.

Talbot Rice Gallery is dedicated to exploring how the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art production today and into the future. The exhibitions exemplify creativity and ambition, seen through a distinctive programme of Scottish and international artists, with informed interpretation and lively educational events.

The Fergusson Gallery is devoted to the work of one of the celebrated Scottish Colourists, John Duncan Fergusson. It holds his vast collection of artwork and associated archive, along with the archive of his lifelong companion, the pioneer of modern dance, Margaret Morris.

The Queen's Gallery is an art gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It forms part of the Palace of Holyroodhouse complex. It was opened in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II, and exhibits works from the Royal Collection. It is open to the public daily. This Victorian building was originally built as Holyrood Free Church, but was last used for worship in 1915, see Redundant church. Prior to its conversion to become the Queen's Gallery the building was used as a storeroom.

The Royal Scottish Academy is the country’s national academy of art. It promotes contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy, it became the Royal Scottish Academy on being granted a royal charter in 1838. Based within the Royal Scottish Academy building, the RSA runs a year-round programme of exhibitions, artist opportunities and related educational talks and events which support artists at all stages o

The Scottish National Gallery is the national art gallery of Scotland, first opened to the public in 1859. It is located on The Mound and Princes Street in central Edinburgh. The gallery comprises two main buildings, the National Gallery of Scotland building and the Royal Scottish Academy building, both designed in neoclassical style by William Henry Playfair. The gallery houses Scotland's national collection of fine art, spanning Scottish and international art from the beginning of the Renaiss

Danny and Joan Ross opened the award-winning gallery in rural Aberdeenshire in 1987. They celebrate and promote Scottish art, showing the best emerging artists as well as established modern masters. Several hundred artists are represented by the gallery. All are carefully selected by Danny and Joan, who are always on hand and happy to discuss the work of any artist.

An independent commercial fine art gallery, run by Polish émigré Dorota Rychlik. It shows well-documented artists from the 19th through the 21st Centuries, including Shetland contemporary landscape and British marine artists. All media are represented, including wood engravings, etchings, watercolours, oils, acrylics, drawings, sculptures and constructions in wood and bronze.