National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait — Attraction in City of Edinburgh

Great architecture in the main entrance, some of the framing and the portraits are interesting but overall it’s not thrilling. I can see how it would be useful for history studies.

Unfortunately on our visit the area for cases and baggage to be held were under repairs. I was travelling with a small suitcase on wheels. The attendant asked if I was able to carry the case rather than wheel it. I was happy to cooperate but I have a severe spinal condition but I still decided to carry it as I wanted to explore the gallery. We were about to head upstairs to the other floors via the lift and a really kind member of staff could see I was struggling and said that it would be okay for my to wheel my case on the other floors but to keep noise to a minimum and to be careful not to cause a trip hazard. This was okay and made me feel confident to enjoy the rest of the gallery respectfully, however, the staff on the floors we arrived on were not so kind. My wife and I were met with condescending judgement in every room we entered. One member of staff approached us three times with complaints to us about our case and how we weren’t to even place it on the ground. We decided to leave after this bad experience as we were being respectful, quiet and considerate of the art and others. We just wanted to learn the history but it was clear the staff cared about a rule that they weren’t even confident on why it was even present. My feedback is that if a bag holding space is under repair and isn’t accessible, it would be imperative to be reactive to the situation and change the rules during this time to ensure that visitors can have an enjoyable experience. Sadly this has led me to leave a one star review - I left feeling as though the staff were pretentious and the team were following scripted actions rather than managing the public in the space effectively. I wouldn’t want to visit again until this...

Faces of Scotland - A Journey Through Time at the Portrait Gallery!

Just wanted to tell you about my incredible trip to the National Scottish Portrait Gallery today! It was a real journey through time, walking through the halls and encountering all these iconic figures from Scotland's history.

The frieze on the first floor was mind-blowing! Seeing all those historical figures, from Caledonia herself to modern-day icons, lining the walls was like stepping into a giant tapestry of Scottish stories. It was fascinating to see how Mr. Hall interpreted each personality through his art, and how the frieze unfolds like a timeline of the nation's development.

And then there was the ceiling! Those astrological constellations reminded me of gazing up at the night sky, and how it's always connected us to something larger than ourselves. It felt like a subtle nod to the enduring spirit of Scotland, always looking up and striving for something more.

However, I have to admit, the galleries felt a bit stuck in the past. There wasn't a single mention of digital technologies or VR exhibits, which seems like a huge missed opportunity! Imagine experiencing Scottish history through virtual reality, walking alongside the figures in the frieze or even stepping into their shoes. It would be a whole new level of connection, don't you think?

And seriously, no lift today? My legs were begging for a break after all that stair climbing! Even a simple AI assistant to answer questions or guide visitors would be a huge improvement.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience, but I couldn't help but feel that the gallery could do so much more to connect with modern audiences. Maybe they could even have a section dedicated to showcasing the contributions of contemporary Scots in different fields, using those fancy digital tools!

Anyway, just wanted to share my thoughts with you all, fellow...

More to this place than first meets the eye. The sensory exhibition on the ground floor was a little disappointing. My friends and l expected interactive installations. Apart from what l nicknamed the tah dah ramp with soapbox spot at the end exhibits were look at photo memories of residents where they lived, how they related to their environment. The open plan glass lift is fun to travel in to the upper floors. There was no cross reflections from lights as we travelled and it's speed was gentle. Many of the traditional portraiture in the galleries has ull written explanations written on the walls nearby. However they were hard to read and definitely not dyslexic friendly. There are larger print guides at the entrance to the rooms but that can make viewing seem disjointed as you try to match descriptions to the right painting. We were lucky enough to have an artist friend in our company who acted as an easy use gallery guide.

We enjoyed the 20 th Century to current day the most because our friend had met some of the artists on show. We were entertained by his anecdotes and insight. It's a great place to while away an hour or two tracing some of Scotlands clan & Jacobean revolt history, The weather outside was dreadful, the atmosphere inside far more pleasant.

I loved the tributes to some mavericks in the suffragette movement and Billy Connelly's fun naked romp portrait.

Good range of gifts in the shop if a...