The National Gallery - a free afternoon

Advantages: Free and fascinatinf
Disadvantages: Sore feet

...I recently decided that a visit to The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square was long overdue. A few minutes walk from Charing Cross tube, the able bodied can climb the front steps of the Portico Enterance of the National Gallery and get good views of Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. Alternatively you can enter by the low level Getty Entrance nearby or the Sainsbury Wing entrance more to the left . I personally prefer to wander around a gallery of my own free will but you can get a variety of audio tours (highlights or themed tours, or choose whichever commentary you wish to listen to from over 1000 paintings) or free guided tours. A voluntary donation is suggested. However, I found the labeling of the paintings quite informative as to the background of most paintings. My first stop when I arrived was the Espresso Bar, not just...

Essexgirl2006 01.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of National Gallery (London)

Join me on a visit to the National Gallery.

Advantages: Wonderful paintings
Disadvantages: none

...Today, as I walked up Pall Mall, I could have easily walked into the National Gallery through a small entrance in The Sainsbury wing, (a part of the gallery). However, I wanted to walk further to see how the pigeons were surviving in Trafalgar Square, I can assure you they are fine. So a message to the mayor up-----------up ?--------- and away. I don?t think so, the pigeons stay. Pigeon feeding is still allowed in front of the National Gallery, it is allowed although you may be told not to do it by the gallery staff. You are not allowed to feed the pigeons in the actual square but they are fed early in the morning each day. Nelson stood proudly as usual and children played in the cascade of water from the central fountain. Looking down, from the paved area in front of the gallery, the scene reminded me of a playground...

teacherofhooch 07.08.2004 · Read review
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Review of National Gallery (London)

The National Museum and Gallery of Wales

Advantages: Plenty to see, great for a rainy day!
Disadvantages: Restaurant is not too good

.... The Museum opened to the public in 1927, with further parts of the building being completed in 1932. It is a rectangular Portland stone building, dominated by a dome (upon which was recently placed a new Welsh dragon sculpture), with impressive stone pillars at the entrance. The National Gallery, housed within the Museum, contains the art collection of the former Cardiff Museum of Natural History, Arts and Antiquities, begun in 1882, the first home for which was in 11 police cells and a corridor in the Cardiff Law Courts. The collection was moved to the present building during the 1920's. --THE COLLECTIONS-- The National Museum and Gallery is unique. The Museum's particular individuality lies in the fact that its diverse and vast collection focuses on both art and science. Upon entering the Museum the first room to view is...

Serenfach 10.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of National Museum and Gallery

National Portrait Gallery a national treasure

Advantages: Great pictures, fascinating subjects, sheer scale of colection,
Disadvantages: None really. Perhapse too much to take in in a single visit.

...Tucked round the corner from the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square you might be forgiven for assuming that the National Portrait Gallery is the poor relation. However the tiny looking front entrance hides a surprisingly big space, divided into six main exhibition spaces. Even with the new gallery 'filling the gap' between the back of the NPG and the National Gallery, there's still only space to show a fraction of their collections, and they still find the time and space for visiting exhibitions as well. Founded in 1856 (although it did not find a permanent home for forty years) the gallery's founding aim was not to collect the greatest examples of the art of portraitures, but to collect portraits of the greatest people - that is was ' to be about history, not about art'. Fortunately they seem to have married to two very...

Ariel 13.08.2001 · Read review
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Review of National Portrait Gallery (London)

New Tudor Gallery at the NPG

Advantages: excellent paintings, well displayed, takes you back in time
Disadvantages: none really

...To start off with, I will just make it clear that this opinion refers only to a specific gallery within the National Portrait Gallery - and this is the new Tudor floor. I haven't ever looked round the rest, as Tudors are one of my big obsessions in life, and I could spend all day just with them. The great thing is of course, that the whole NPG is FREE! Anyway, the new Tudor rooms, on the top floor, opened last year, and contain portraits right from the time of the wars of the Roses - in actual fact, this is before the Tudor period itself, but still very interesting nevertheless. Richard III for example, doesn't appear at all as you might have envisaged him from reading either Thomas More's or Shakespeare's Richard III - not quite living up to the description "little of stature, ill-featured of limbs, crook backed, his left shoulder...

weebagpuss 05.03.2001 (15.05.2001) · Read review
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Review of National Portrait Gallery (London)

Painting a portrit of our great nation

Advantages: nicely laid outt good selection of the great and good
Disadvantages: later portraits not as interesting

...What made Britain great? It might have something to do with our former empire or the Industrial Revolution, but what made Britain really great was the cast of larger than life characters from the monarchy to scientists, explorers and writers that make up British ands English History. When in central London recently I thought I would celebrate the people that made Britain glorious by visiting the National Portrait Gallery right in the centre of London. It is celebrating its 150th anniversary so I thought I would visit it in this important year. The National Portrait Gallery is very easy to get to. The nearest tube station is Charring Cross-although Embankment is pretty near as well. It is located just off Trafalgar Square on Saint Martin's Place (diagonally opposite the wonderful looking Saint Martins in the Field). Do not do as I...

duskmaiden 19.08.2006 (21.08.2006) · Read review
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Review of National Portrait Gallery (London)

Another gem of a gallery

Advantages: Wonderfull collection, good facilities.Non patronising atmosphere
Disadvantages: Can get crowded in Sumer, espceialy for popular exhibitions

...The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London is the UK’s national collection of pre 1900 European art, making a set with the Tate Britain (Pre 1900 UK art) and the Tate Modern (Post 1900 art). During the summer months a free Art Bus links the three galleries, making things even easier for the cultural traveler. Even in this huge building, dominating one side of the square, they can only exhibit a fraction of their holdings at any one time, so have a changing lineup of special exhibitions. The main collection is free to view, as are some of the exhibitions, others, including the current Vermeer exhibition, are charged for. Vermeer is £6 for adults £4 for discounts (students, oap et) IN a further bid to ensure it’s doors are open to all the museum is open late three nights a week, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday until...

Ariel 12.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of National Gallery (London)

Buchanan Galleries

Advantages: Great Place To Shop
Disadvantages: Gets Busy

...As you will have become aware from some of my previous reviews I am not really one for trawling the high street looking for clothing items. I prefer the convenience of buying most of my items online, However on occasion we all unfortunately have to do this at some point. I had been invited to a party so thought that it was about time I invested in a new dress!! Well living and working in Glasgow the only place for me to shop has to be the Buchanan Galleries. Fortunately I always go very early in the morning to try and avoid the crowds and for the most part tend to be able to experience a good couple of hours hastle free shopping and can actually try items on quickly instead of having to wait in huge long queues. The beauty of the "galleries"as they are known locally is that they have a wide range and variety of shops under one roof...

anniehiccups 08.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow

Hanging in the Gallery

Advantages: Great location, nice rooms
Disadvantages: The grumpiest staff in Spain

...The Gallery is a hotel that I've stayed in many times on business and it's my first choice with my own money whenever I go to Barcelona for fun - but only if I can get a half-decent deal on the room rate. When I first started staying there about 8 years ago, we used to pay about £60 a night. Since the advent of the Euro and the increase in cheap flights to Barcelona, the prices of hotels throughout the city have shot up and this will now set you back a lot more. Just running a quick check on some of the price comparison sites, they were throwing up prices in the 200-250 Euro range, which in my book is a lot more that it's worth. WARNING *********** If you are thinking of a DIY weekend break in Barcelona you really should check out hotel availability before you book your flights. Don't bag a cheap EasyJet and assume you can find...

koshkha 29.04.2006 · Read review
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Review of Gallery Hotel, Barcelona

More than just a gallery

Advantages: Support for emerging artists
Disadvantages: Limited exhibition space

...Originally situated in a small side street of Southsea, the Aspex Gallery was able to move to grander surroundings in December 2006. It is now housed on the ground floor of the imposing Vulcan Building in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. Gunwharf Quays is a shopping complex that also has a cinema, bowling alley, various eateries on the waterfront, and of course the Spinnaker Tower; it attracts crowds of visitors from surrounding areas such as the Isle of Wight, Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island, Petersfield and Havant as well as the inhabitants of Portsmouth itself and Southsea. Such a location is a prestigious one. The gallery, however, is not particularly easy to find. Once in Gunwharf, head to your left in an easterly direction and look out for the Loch Fynne Restaurant, also in part of the Vulcan Building. Follow the path between Loch...

denella 21.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth