such a beautiful, peaceful place full of interesting, capturing portraits and history including of scottish royalty which i find fascinating. The building was just beautiful! Would happily go again and sit for hours in front of the paintings

Great gallery in a beautiful building. The cafe serves good food but is a little pricey, however the free entry to the gallery makes up for this! They have storage lockers for suitcases (need a £2 coin) so is a good place to visit before catching a train or flight.

A free gallery within Edinburgh which i do recommend . The exhibition was celebrating King James VI & I marking the 400th anniversary of James’s death. This was the first devoted to him in Edinburgh in half a century . It features over 140 objects—portraits, letters, jewelry, textiles, manuscripts—many on display together for the first time, drawn from national collections and major institutions across the UK . It also had beautiful portraits of James’s Mother, Mary Queen of Scots and his Father , This was a paid ticket event. Cafe and gift shop on site too. Other levels within the gallery are worth exploring. The stained glass areas are beautiful. Very helpful staff pointed me in the correct direction as I got lost , it's quite a big building.

The National Gallery of Scotland, located just north of Princes Street, houses a vast collection of portraits, as its name suggests. The museum boasts a diverse range of artists, both renowned and local. With multiple floors, I recommend starting from the top and descending. Each floor offers a wealth of historical insights into the portraits displayed. You’re likely to spend a considerable amount of time here, fully immersed in the museum’s offerings. Notably, the museum is free to enter, but donations are greatly appreciated. Overall, the National Gallery of Scotland is a spectacular museum with an impressive collection. The main hall is particularly beautiful and worth spending a significant amount of time exploring.

The National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait contains… well a lot of portraits! Some are very famous, some are people I have never heard about. Nevertheless, there’s quite a wide range of art and sculpture to enjoy. Great architecture too, with the most memorable being the entrance hall. Best part is that entrance is free! Great place to stop by if you want to rest or looking for cheap things to do in Edinburgh. There’s also a cafe for coffee or food, though it was full when we visited.