Visitor Admissions Policy

1. Opening Hours

1.1. The Gallery is open daily from 10am–6pm and until 9pm on Fridays.

1.2. Please note the Gallery restaurants, cafes and bars have differing opening hours – please see the Eat and Drink page.

1.3. The Gallery is closed 24–26 December and 1 January.

1.4. We recommend that you check our website nationalgallery.org.uk for the latest visitor information before visiting.

2. Admission

2.1. General admission to the Gallery is free. Donations are welcomed.

2.2. We may charge for some temporary exhibitions and events.

2.3. Please always show consideration and respect for other visitors.

3. Conditions of entry, bag searches and security

3.1. We do not allow the following anywhere in the Gallery:

1. knives, sharp objects or other potentially dangerous or harmful items;
2. aerosols and paint(s)
3. the wearing of any bicycle or motorbike helmets or similar;
4. the sale of goods or services or the display of goods or services for sale;
5. the distribution of printed or recorded materials of any kind;
6. the distribution of campaign materials;
7. displayed or wearable paraphernalia deemed as offensive or affiliated to organisations that pose a physical threat to the collection;
8. any unsafe act or other act that may impede the operation of the Gallery;
9. tripods, selfie sticks or gimbals;
10. alcohol (which may only be consumed in accordance with section 17).

This is not an exhaustive list, and additional items may be restricted upon entry at the Gallery’s discretion.

3.2. Bags are checked on arrival so please allow extra time for security checks. We reserve the right not to allow any bag, parcel, or other item to be brought into the Gallery and to deal with any unattended object in a way we consider appropriate.

Refusal of search will result in no admission.

3.3. We operate a secure, closed-circuit television (CCTV) system throughout the Gallery for the protection and safety of our visitors, staff, collection, and property. Please see our General Privacy Notice on our website for further details.

3.4. We may from time to time, without prior notice and without refund, liability, or compensation, close the Gallery or any part of it temporarily or restrict the number of persons having access if the circumstances require us to do so. For example, in the interests of security or public safety.

3.5. We reserve the right to deny admission, or to require a person already admitted, to leave the Gallery, without refund, liability, or compensation if the circumstances require us to do so.

4. Gallery staff

4.1. Our staff can be identified by their Gallery identity passes.

4.2. You must follow staff instructions in accordance with this policy. Our staff are here to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable, and inspiring visit.

4.3. Our staff are authorised to intervene where deemed necessary, for example in the event of antisocial behaviour, disturbance to other visitors, or any behaviour that puts the collection, building, or anyone else at risk. In such events, you may be asked to leave or be escorted from the Gallery.

4.4. Please treat all members of staff with respect. We do not tolerate physical or verbal abuse.

5. Health and Safety

5.1. In the interest of health and safety, please do not:

1. commit any act that could endanger or jeopardise the safety of our staff, visitors, collection, or any property or goods;
2. climb on any part of the collection, or the fabric of the building including walls, statues, columns, or balconies;
3. use laser pointers/pens, umbrellas, pointing sticks or poles of any type, to point at staff or other visitors;
4. leave children in your care unattended;
5. children should not be carried on shoulders whilst within the Gallery;
6. run within the Gallery;
7. sit on staircases (please use the seating provided; our staff can assist you in finding the nearest seating);
8. block any doorways, entrances, or exits; or
9. smoke or vape anywhere on the premises;
10. charge any form of electronic item within the Gallery.

5.2. Failure to comply with the above may result in you being asked to leave the Gallery.

5.3. Please let our staff know immediately about any accident, incident or ‘near miss’ in the Gallery

6. Protection of the collection

6.1. The collection requires careful conservation and environmental monitoring. You must not:

1. cross barriers with any part of your body or possessions;
2. touch paintings, frames, or art installations of any kind;
3. use laser pointers/pens, umbrellas, pointing sticks or poles of any type, to point at paintings or objects;
4. use torches (including mobile phone), flash, or magnifying glasses; or
5. access any cordoned off or ‘staff only’ areas.

6.2. No artworks can be moved or brought into the Gallery by anyone other than the duly authorised personnel.

6.3. In case of theft, attempted theft, or vandalism, we may need to close the Gallery’s entrances and exits.

7. Food and drink

7.1. Please do not consume food or drink inside the picture galleries, and please eat and drink only in our designated catering spaces: Bar Giorgio, Locatelli, The Espresso Bar; Muriel’s Kitchen; Ochre restaurant and Supporter’s House.

7.2. Please note our designated catering spaces are reserved for visitors purchasing food and drink on site.

8. Fire alarms

8.1. If the fire system is activated, you must follow the instructions of the fire system voice announcements and of our staff.

8.2. In the event of a fire evacuation, all visitor facilities (including toilets, catering outlets, shops, and cloakrooms) must be vacated immediately.

8.3. You must not obstruct any exits.

9. Sketching and drawing

9.1. Visitors are welcome to sketch and draw in the Gallery and take inspiration from the collection with the following guidance:

1. please be conscious of other people and move aside if someone wants to view the painting you are sketching;
2. sketchbooks or notepaper should be no larger than A3 size;
3. you can use pencils, crayons, graphite sticks, ball-point pens, biros, medium or hard charcoal, fountain pens with an internal reservoir, and non-permanent felt-tipped pens in rooms with paintings on display.

9.2. You may be asked to move along to another painting or room to ensure all visitors can enjoy the collection.

9.3. Sketching is not permitted within Exhibition spaces.

9.4. No sketching is permitted in doorways or access routes.

9.5. Painting and use of materials other than those listed above is only permitted under the Copyist Scheme.

10. Photography, filming and audio recording

10.1. We allow photography and filming for your own personal and non-commercial purposes. It is the responsibility of anyone taking photographs or filming to ensure that no copyright is infringed. The following exceptions apply to protect the collection, copyright of loans, individual privacy, and the overall visitor experience:

1. Photography/filming is permitted in exhibitions for personal non-commercial use, unless otherwise stated on the label by the exhibited work;
2. photography, audio recording or streaming of tours inside the Gallery is not permitted (please see section 11 below for information on tour groups);
3. the use of additional lighting or flash, tripods, and selfie sticks or gimbals is not permitted;
4. photography of some loan paintings may be restricted, as indicated by signs next to the paintings; and
5. photography and filming of children and young people is prohibited without the consent of the accompanying adult, this includes school groups and those attending family events. The Gallery recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children, young people, and adults at risk;

10.2. You must respect the wishes of all visitors by not obstructing the view of the paintings or taking pictures of anyone (including our staff) without their permission.

10.3. Commercial filming and photography are not allowed in the Gallery without prior written permission. To arrange a location shoot, please contact the Commercial Events team by emailing: [email protected] or telephoning: 020 7747 5931.

11. Tour groups

11.1. We welcome a variety of group visitors to the Gallery to enjoy and learn about the collection:

1. For school visits, please visit: Learning or email: [email protected].
2. Details of our daily guided Gallery tours can be found here.
3. For private guided group enquiries, please visit: Travel Trade or email: [email protected].
4. For self-guided tour groups, please visit here.

11.2. Amplification devices are not permitted inside the Gallery, and noise levels should be kept to a minimum to ensure groups are not distracting other visitors.

11.3. National Gallery Educators conducting tours always have priority over other groups.

11.4. Self-guided tour groups must be clear that their tour is not an official product of the Gallery and is in no way affiliated.

11.5. Groups must not block doors or access routes. 

11.6. Your group may be asked to move along to another painting or room to ensure all visitors can enjoy the collection.

12. Access facilities and on-site accessible parking

12.1. The Gallery aims to make access to the collection as inclusive and welcoming as possible. There are a range of facilities to help you enjoy the collection, visit exhibitions, and events. Please visit our Access page for full details of our facilities.

12.2. Breastfeeding is welcome across all parts of the Gallery. 

12.3. There is one designated accessible parking space on Orange Street, next to the Gallery. Please note this parking space is about 250 metres from the Getty Entrance. The space must be booked 48 hours in advance by telephoning: 020 7747 2885.

The space on Orange Street is not on the National Gallery premises. Should another Blue Badge holder park there, we cannot send them away.

12.4. There are three designated blue badge parking bays on St Martin's Street. For more information, please contact the Westminster Parking Information Service on: 020 7823 4567.

13. Mobility aids, pushchairs, bicycles, skateboards and scooters

13.1. Mobility scooters, wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs and all other mobility aids are welcome. For more information regarding the size of our lifts, please visit our Access page.

13.2. Baby pushchairs and oversized bags containing necessary medical equipment, or equipment for use in nursing and baby care, are allowed subject to you agreeing that these items may need to be inspected on entering the building.

13.3. Bicycles, adult skateboards and scooters, e-bikes and e-scooters (including the batteries removed from these e-vehicles) are not permitted in the Gallery or cloakrooms.

13.4. Folding bicycles are accepted in the cloakroom Level -1 Sainsbury Wing.

13.5. The Gallery accepts no responsibility for any damage to the building, collection, or property caused by mobility aids used on the premises.

14. Animals

14.1. Service, assistance and emotional support animals are welcome at the National Gallery.

To protect the collection in our care and for everyone’s comfort and safety:

1. Your service, assistance or emotional support animal must be under your care and control during your visit. Where possible, they should remain on lead and wear a relevant tabard or harness, but these are not requirements for entry.
2. If your assistance animal is not a dog, please get in touch via [email protected] so we can pass your details onto colleagues working on the day of your visit.
3. Water bowls are available at each entry desk. The nearest place for a toilet for your animal is Leicester Square.
4. For any other access queries, please get in touch via [email protected] so we can discuss your needs in advance of your visit.

14.2. Otherwise, animals are not permitted in the Gallery.

15. Cloakrooms

15.1. The cloakrooms are for visitors to store personal items.

15.2. The maximum bag size allowed in the building is 56x25x45cm and must be checked into the cloakrooms on arrival.

15.3. Wheeled luggage, including cabin bags, and suitcases are not allowed.

15.4. Large umbrellas are not allowed in the picture galleries but can be checked into the cloakroom on arrival. The Gallery does not accept liability for any loss, theft or damage to umbrellas voluntarily stored at the entrance.

15.5. Backpacks should be carried/worn on the front or held at the side.

15.6. Backpacks and large bags are not permitted in certain exhibition spaces but can be checked into the cloakroom on arrival. Please check the exhibitions page for more information on bag restrictions.

15.7. The Gallery reserves the right to inspect any item prior to acceptance into the cloakroom and may refuse to accept items at its discretion. All items deposited may also be subject to search in the interests of safety and security.

15.8. Please do not leave valuables or fragile items in the cloakroom.

15.9. The Gallery does not accept liability for loss, theft, or damage to items left in the cloakroom unless such loss has been caused by our negligence.

15.10. The Gallery’s liability for any claim concerning loss, theft or damage to items left in the cloakroom is limited to £50 per item (this limit applies in total to the item deposited in the cloakroom, including any and all contents of that item).

15.11. Please remember to collect personal items from the cloakroom on the same day before closing time.

16. Lost property

16.1. Please do not leave personal property unattended when visiting the Gallery.

16.2. Any unattended property is handed to the Security team and is processed in accordance with our lost property procedure. Anything unclaimed after one month will be donated to charity or disposed of with the exception of bank cards which will be destroyed the following day.

16.3. Unattended luggage or closed packages which appear to present a security danger will be reported to the relevant authorities and may be destroyed without warning in the interests of safety and security.

16.4. We do not accept liability for any lost items and/or unattended property that we remove or destroy.

17. The Gallery as Licensed Premises

17.1. The Gallery holds a premises license under the Licensing Act 2003, in accordance with which we will:

1. refuse any person entry (or ask any person to leave) if our security officers believe that person to be intoxicated or behaving antisocially; and
2. refuse to serve alcohol or to supply other services to any person who is intoxicated or behaving antisocially.

17.2. At the end of evening events, we ask that you leave quietly and show consideration to our neighbours.

17.3. All alcohol consumed must be purchased on the premises.

18. Comments and feedback

18.1. We welcome comments, feedback, and queries (including Access information) from visitors and members of the public. You can:

1. email: [email protected];
2. tcall: 020 7747 2885;
3. write to: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN.

18.2. Response times will vary depending on the query and other Gallery activity. All feedback is acknowledged within 5 working days. 

18.3 The Guest Services Team will provide a response to all feedback in the first instance. Where feedback needs further attention, it is shared with the relevant department.

18.4. In accordance with our General Privacy Notice, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information and will only use this legally and responsibly.

19. Demonstrations

19.1. Demonstrations are not permitted within the Gallery.

19.2. A maximum noise level cannot be more than 79 dB(A) over a 15 minute period at one metre from the nearest façade;

1. in addition a limit of 70 dB in either of the 63 Hz or 125 Hz octave bands are required to control low frequency noise.

19.3. No structures to be built within 3.7 metres of the Gallery façade in order to maintain the emergency vehicle access route.

20. Amendments

20.1. We reserve the right to amend or update this visitor policy without notice.