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Group and private tours

Journey through the story of European art in London's Trafalgar Square

We look forward to welcoming your group to the National Gallery.

Our dedicated Group and private tours team can assist in planning your itineraries and answering your queries. We cater for groups of any size and provide a variety of tour options upon request. 

Download our brochure [PDF]

Contact us

Please email our friendly Group and private tours team

Email: TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk 

Themed tours

All our official guided tours are available throughout the year and include a VOX headset for a high-quality experience.

Private daytime tours last approximately 1.5 hours with an opportunity for groups to enjoy the collection in their own time before or after the tour.

Highlights tour

Join us for an intimate expert-led tour of our world-renowned collection. Our Gallery-approved Blue Badge Guides will introduce you to our most popular paintings and artists in the collection.

Heroes and villains

Meet the heroes and villains on the walls of the National Gallery. Join our expert Blue Badge Guides as they unlock hidden meanings and messages in this tour of masterpieces inspired by the great myths and legends that still speak to us today.

Impressionists tour

An invitation to immerse yourself in the works of a group of revolutionary artists that rocked the Establishment in the second half of the 19th century. Discover the Impressionists, the stories behind their vibrant paintings in our collection, and how they laid the foundations of modern art.

Women in art

Women have always played an integral role in art. While there are only around twenty paintings in the National Gallery Collection of over 2,300, women have had an integral part in the creation of many of our famous artworks. The influence that women have had on the story of Western art is varied and often unspoken. Come and enjoy an exploration of some of the Gallery’s most fascinating works and inspirational stories.

Royal tour

Book your own private Royalty-themed tour of the National Gallery, led by experts. In the year that sees the coronation of King Charles III, explore the royal stories among over 700 years of wall-to-wall masterpieces.

Other group tour options

We provide a variety of tour options for groups

Out-of-hours tours

Experience the Gallery after our doors have closed to the public in an exclusive tour with a Blue Badge Guide. These tours are on a request basis and subject to availability. Pricing starts at £2,500 + VAT.

Sketch Workshops

Feel inspired by your surroundings and take part in a private sketching workshop inside the gallery out of hours. Pricing starts at £4,000 + VAT.

Bespoke experiences

If you have a specific group request or certain requirement such as a specialist or different language tour, please get in touch. We would be happy to tailor-make an experience for your group.

 

Book a private tour

Book a private tour to explore over 700 years of art. We can accommodate multiple groups at one time, and smaller group sizes are also welcome.

Blue Badge Guides and coach drivers receive complimentary admission. Please note, we do not accept walk-ups. 

Group prices

Prices per person (group size 12–25 ppl)

Adults: £19 
Children (under 15 years): £14 
Concessions: £16 

Private groups

Price on request (group size 1-11 ppl)

Travel trade

If you are interested in bringing groups to the Gallery on a regular basis, we have an account scheme which offers preferential rates and post-visit invoicing.

To find out more, please get in touch with the Travel Trade Team at TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk.

Please note that you will need to guarantee a minimum spend to join the scheme and bring in groups on a regular basis. 

Highlights from the collection

Explore some of the popular paintings you can see on your tour
See our highlights

Make the most of your visit

Shopping

From prints and postcards to cushions and jewellery, complete your Gallery experience with a visit to one of our gift shops, at the start and end of your visit.

Browse our online shop

Eating and drinking

Delicious food and drink is available from our restaurant Ochre, and our cafés Muriel's Kitchen and the Espresso Bar by Muriel's.

Find out about eating and drinking

Venue hire

Entertain your guests in the splendour of the Gallery with a bespoke private event, from small meetings to large-scale dinners. Contact our friendly events team to discuss your plans. 

Find out more about venue hire

FAQs

Our general visiting opening hours are 10am–6pm every day, and until 9pm on Fridays. Read more about our visiting information here

We do also offer out-of-hours tours, so please get in touch with the team via TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk to find out more.

A highlights tour of the National Gallery’s collection lasts approximately one hour and is led by an official Blue Badge Guide. There will be a maximum of 25 people per tour group. In the event that your group is larger than 25, we will arrange for multiple staggered tours to take place.

It is essential to pre-book guided tours in advance of your arrival. Please complete our booking request form or email TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk with your preferred date, time and group size.

Any cancellation requests must be made via email to TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk at least 14 working days prior to the date of your tour. Any request made after this date will not be accepted and you will be charged in full for the price of the tour.

We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule your tour at any time. If we cancel your tour, we shall refund any payments that you have made to us in respect of the tour. We shall not be liable for any costs you incur as a result of this cancellation, including any travel or accommodation costs.

If you are running late for your tour, please contact the team via TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk to let them know. We will do our best to accommodate you where we can.

Photos are permitted inside the galleries without the use of flash. Please refrain from taking pictures of members of the public unless they have given their consent. Please be advised that photos are not permitted inside exhibitions.

If you have any special access requirements, please call us on
+44 (0)20 7747 2885 and we’ll be happy to help. Find out more about access at the Gallery

For all enquiries, please email TravelTrade@nationalgallery.org.uk

Visiting guidelines

To help us keep the Gallery a safe and enjoyable place for everyone, please follow the guidelines listed in our Visitor Admissions Policy.