Are you a fan of beautiful art? If so the United Kingdom has some of the best art galleries in the world. The team behind Tint Art, a new destination to buy original photographic art, and guest author Aaron Hopkins have compiled their top 5 art galleries. Which is your favourite? Leave us a comment below!
If you are looking for fun things to do in the UK this summer, or are visiting for the first time, you may want to consider a trip to one of the country’s top art galleries. In this article we will talk you through what we believe to be the top five art galleries in the United Kingdom.
The Tate Modern is one of the best galleries to visit if you love contemporary works of art.
1. Tate Galleries, London, Liverpool and St Ives
Tate first opened its doors to the public in 1897. Back then it just had one site with a small collection of British artwork. Today it has four major sites; Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. The art galleries display a national collection of British art from the 1500s to the present day. They also have an exquisite collection of international, modern and contemporary artworks.
If you are a lover of contemporary art, then the Tate Modern is the place to visit this summer. There you will find ingeniously curated exhibitions and a fantastic programme of events.
2. Whitechapel Gallery, East London
The Whitechapel Gallery is housed in a Grade II listed building designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, at the heart of London’s East End. The art gallery, which opened in 1901, is one of the best places in the country to find contemporary artwork. It has played an important role in developing the capital’s cultural landscape and has certainly put East London on the map as a place to find vibrant art.
3. Baltic, Newcastle
The Baltic Centre for contemporary art is located on the south bank of the River Tyne in Gateshead, Newcastle. The unusual building was converted from an old flour mill after the organisation received funding from The National Lottery (Arts Council England.) The Baltic boasts an ever-changing collection of artwork, showcasing everything from blockbuster exhibitions to the artwork of indie artists working within the local community. As well as viewing an eclectic selection of visually striking artwork, you can listen to regular artists’ talks which take place throughout the year.
4. The Common Guild
The Common Guild is a visual arts organisation based in Glasgow. It was established in 2006 and has since gone on to work in partnership with Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art. The Common Guild is known for its dynamic programmes of international contemporary art projects, exhibitions and events. The gallery is housed in a stunning Victorian building, with each room hosting a different collection. There you will also find a unique library designed by the artist Andrew Miller. The library has a wide range of art books, catalogues and publications for you to browse at your leisure.
See how many famous faces you recognise at the National Portrait Gallery.
5. National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery is located in London’s Trafalgar Square. It is home to the world’s largest collection of historically important faces and personalities. The National Portrait Gallery was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856. The gallery houses a wide range of portrait types from photographs, to caricatures, paintings, drawings and sculptures. There you will find one of the most famous portraits in the world of William Shakespeare.
The gallery is free of charge to enter and also has one of the best roof top restaurants in London.
The UK is home to many fantastic art galleries, so whether you are visiting London, holidaying in Cornwall or taking a trip to Scotland, you will not be far away from one of our top five art galleries. A day browsing fabulous art collections from around the world will make the perfect day out for you and your family this summer. Each gallery has something different to offer from historical masterpieces to contemporary artwork.
Images from flickr.com used under the Creative Commons license. Image credits: ReservasdeCoches & djLicious.
I bet the National Portrait Gallery is a lot of fun!