Travel: Top 3 London Art Galleries

Top 3 London Art Galleries

London is a rich hub of culture, home to many great art galleries, museums and stunning architecture.  Many art galleries have free admission, so instead of fighting it, absorb yourself in the best the city has to offer; visit some of the great masterpieces of old and even discover some newer ones at some of London’s many exhibitions and galleries.  Make the most of your trip and stay in the heart of London as Travelodge offers competitive rates for Kings Cross hotels.  Here are three great galleries in central London; from the traditional, through to the ground breaking.

National Gallery

The National Gallery is free to enter and has a vast array of famous works of art.  So famous in-fact, even the least artistically savvy people may know a few names hanging here.  This gallery is mostly paintings from past centuries that have been curated over many years.  The National Gallery boasts one of the greatest Western European painting collections in the world and has Monet, Van Gogh, Raphael, Michelangelo and Constable, to name but a few all hanging in its halls.  The must see painting here is Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, one of the most iconic oil paintings in existence.

Tate Modern

For fans of more recent and less conventional art the Tate Modern should be firmly on your radar.  Another one of London’s free galleries, the Tate on Southbank is arranged by artistic theme with different styles grouped together, so it’s easy to get to grips with what you’re looking at.  Spread across five floors, the Tate has the works of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Picasso and Rothko all in one building alongside many other greats of the modern art world.  If you really love your modern art, there is also a diary of paid exhibitions that run throughout the year that are well worth checking out.  Previous displays have included names as big as Dali and Kandinsky, so they are well worth the extra money.

Whitechapel Art Gallery

Whitechapel Art Gallery is more than just a gallery; it is a community project gone viral.  Inside is an art-house cinema and bar where art enthusiasts can meet up and discuss “the next big thing”.  The gallery was designed to reflect the East London community it resides in, and it continues to accurately reflect the innovative residents of the area.  It is a gallery for the daring – much of the art on display is a little “out there” and it is a place many artists exhibit their work in the hope of getting noticed.  Whitechapel’s most notorious accomplishment was bringing Pop Art to the UK in the 60s and hosting one of Picasso’s pieces during a tour of his work.

Art is entirely subjective and whilst some will love all genres, others will have very specific tastes.  The three galleries above cut through the spectrum of modern and classical; spend some time getting to know what your personal artistic preference is in some of London’s exciting free galleries.

Guest post by Catherine