Edinburgh is a world class centre for the arts and culture. There is an abundance of galleries and regular exhibitions to view in the city. More information on all the galleries run by The National Galleries of Scotland can be found at www.natgalscot.ac.uk . Here are some galleries and forthcoming exhibitions to consider.

National Gallery of Scotland

Situated on the Mound in the heart of Edinburgh the National is home to a renowned collection of works by Bassano, Van Dyck, El Greco, Velazquez and Boticelli among many others. This majestic gallery has recently been refurbished and extended to make every visit a pleasure.

Admission free, open 10am - 5pm daily.

The Dean Gallery

Nestled on a hill above the beautiful Dean Village this gallery was created to house the a collection of Eduardo Paolozzi's eclectic works. There are regular touring exhibitions and displays of works from the National Galleries of Scotland permanent collection.

Admission free, open 10am - 5pm daily.

The Scottish Gallery of Modern Art

This very grand gallery in the west end of the city is surrounded by its own extensive grounds which are used to display modern sculpture and land sculpture. Inside there is large collection of modern art from great names such as Bonnard, Matisse, Leger, Picasso, Bacon and Hockney. The gallery café is a favourite with the locals and is a great place for coffee and a cake or a very good lunch.

Admission free, open 10am - 5pm daily.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

As the name suggests this gallery is dedicated to portraits through the ages. This is unique visual history of Scotland and a priceless collection.

Admission free, open 10am - 5pm daily.

City Arts Centre

This is the home of the city's collection of Scottish art and one of Scotland's leading temporary exhibition spaces.

Admission free, open Monday to Friday 10am - 5pm, 12 -5pm on Sunday.

Commercial Galleries

There is a strong portfolio of private art galleries in the city. There is everything from conceptual artists to landscape painters on offer. Check out Edinburgh-galleries.co.uk for more information.