SeeLeicester Square

National Gallery

Houses the British national collection of western European art dating from the 13th to 19th centuries. A truly awe-inspiring collection, notable works include Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors, Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Constable's The Haywain. The vast majority of art is free of charge to visit. Temporary exhibitions are generally fairly costly, but invariably well researched and presented. The audioguides are very comprehensive, have comments on most of the paintings in the museum, and are free though this fact is not advertised. A donation is suggested. In addition to courses, workshops, lectures and other events, the National Gallery has free talks and tours every day.

Address: Trafalgar Sq, WC2 5DN
Hours: 10AM-6PM daily except Fri until 9PM
Price: Free
Website: nationalgallery.org.uk (opens in a new tab)

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: London/Leicester Square, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

EatLeicester Square
The Portrait Restaurant
Offers spectacular food accompanied by spectacular art on the 5th floor of the National Portrait Gallery. A must-do dining experience.
SeeLeicester Square
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery is just around the corner from the National Gallery and is an entertaining way to learn about British history since the Tudors. Visitors walk around the gallery chronologically, viewing portraits of notable figures from British history - from Henry VII, painted by Hans Holbein, to Blur, painted by Julian Opie.
Sat-Wed 10AM-6PM, Thu Fri 10AM-9PMFree except some non-permanent exhibitions
SeeLeicester Square
Trafalgar Square
The main, central square of London, Trafalgar Square is associated with celebration and demonstration - it is the site of London's lacklustre New Year celebrations, and in 2003 was the site of the triumphant homecoming of the British Rugby team from the World Cup, and a centre for demonstration against Britain's involvement in the Iraq War. The square has been associated with the many hundreds of pigeons that used to be found here, but in 2003 a bylaw was passed to make it illegal to feed them. Nelson's Column, surrounded by the four bronze lions can be found here, on the south side of the square. The north-west plinth in the square was intended to hold an equestrian statue of William IV, but remained bare since 1841 due to insufficient funds. Since 1999, it has been used to display controversial contemporary sculpture.
EatCovent Garden
Café in the Crypt
In the basement of St Martin-in-the-Fields church is the Café in the Crypt which offers reasonably-priced cafe food that you can eat amongst the brick-vaulted ceilings, pillars and gravestones.