In my previous posts about my trip to London, I wrote about Bourton in Cotswold and about the London River Cruise . Today, I will write about my outing to National Gallery in Trafalgar Square , London .
I am quite fond of Art museums and my younger daughter who is an artist has visited the National Gallery Several times and on my trip she was very keen that I visit the place so one Sunday morning we set out to do the same.
Sitting proudly at the edge of Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is one of those rare places where art, history, and the pulse of London meet effortlessly. Home to more than 2,300 paintings spanning over seven centuries, the gallery offers an intimate walk through the evolution of European art – from the delicate strokes of the Renaissance to the bold colours of Impressionism.
What I love most about the National Gallery is how easy it is to slip inside and instantly feel transported. One moment you’re in the middle of London’s rush; the next, you’re standing a few feet away from Van Gogh, da Vinci, Turner, Monet, and so many more artists you’ve only ever met in books. It’s quiet, inspiring, and wonderfully free to visit, making it a must-stop for anyone wandering through central London.
You can get to the National Gallery in London by tube, bus, or overground train . The nearest tube station is Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo lines), and Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines) is also a short walk away. Charing Cross is the nearest overground station and is also a short distance from the Gallery. Buses that stop near Trafalgar Square, where the Gallery is located, include routes 11, 24, and 29. The amazing thing is that entry to the museum is free for everyone.
Van Gogh’s Sunflower
The c0llection of Paintings in the gallery is truly amazing and many works from famous artists like Van Gogh , Rembrandt, Raphael , Cezanne, Degas, Gauguin , Monet , Picasso , Renoir and many more are displayed here.
The paintings are beautifully arranged and displayed and the facilities are outstanding. The souvenir shop has a great collection of art memorabilia and books, umbrellas , wallets and practically everything related to the paintings displayed here. Since it is an art museum , words cannot do justice to it and you can see the painting below yourself and marvel at the eclectic collection.
Claude Monet's "Water Lilies" series
Claude Monet's Irises
Claude Monet's series titled Poplars, which he painted in 1891. The series depicts a row of poplar trees along the Epte River near his home in Giverny, France
Grainstack (Sunset), part of Claude Monet's famous Haystacks series
Claude Monet's painting, "The Water-Lily Pond" which is part of his famous Water Lilies series
Claude Monet's Water Lilies
Portrait of Greta Moll by Henri Matisse
Combing the Hair ('La Coiffure') by Edgar Degas, created around 1896
Harvest: Le Pouldu by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin
Motherhood (La Maternité) by Pablo Picasso
Paul Cézanne's "Curtain, Jug and Dish of Fruit (also known as "Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier"), created around 1893-1894.
Paul Cézanne's Still Life with Water Jug
self-portrait by the French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne
The Côte des Bœufs at L'Hermitage by the French Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro
Landscape with Poplars by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne
Top: The Sea at L'Estaque
Bottom: The Avenue at the Jas de Bouffan
both by French artist Paul Cézanne
The Boulevard Montmartre at Night by Camille Pissarro
Bathers at Asnières by the French artist Georges Seurat
Hillside in Provence by French artist Paul Cézanne
Landscape with Ploughman by Vincent van Gogh
Van Gogh's Chair, created in 1888 by the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh
Farms near Auvers by Vincent van Gogh
Peasant Girls Bathing in the Sea at Dusk by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando by the French Impressionist artist Edgar Degas
Ballet Dancers by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
Wheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh's painting, Sunflowers
Long Grass with Butterflies by Vincent van Gogh
A Vase of Flowers by Paul Gauguin
Faa Iheihe by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin
Bowl of Fruit and Tankard before a Window by French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin
Left: The Café-Concert (1878)
Right: Corner of a Café-Concert
Both by French artist Édouard Manet
Ophelia among the Flowers by French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon, created between 1905 and 1908
After the Bath, Woman Drying Herself, by French artist Edgar Degas
Ballet Dancers by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
The Umbrellas by the French Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir
The Skiff (La Yole) by the French Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir
The Beach at Trouville by Claude Monet
Top : Snow at Argenteuil
Bottom:Lavacourt under Snow
Both by Claude Monet
Beach Scene (also known as "Sur la Plage") by the French artist Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas
At the Theatre (La Première Sortie)" by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir
The Thames below Westminster by Claude Monet
Corner of a Café-Concert by the French painter Édouard Manet
An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump by Joseph Wright of Derby
Whistlejacket by the English artist George Stubbs
The Central Hall of The National Gallery
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by French artist Paul Delaroche
The Seven Sacraments: Eucharist by Nicolas Poussin, which is a depiction of the Last Supper
A Distant View of Dordrecht, with a Milkmaid and Four Cows, and Other Figures, also known as "The Large Dort," by the Dutch painter Aelbert Cuyp
Dutch Boats in a Gale by the English Romantic painter J. M. W. Turner
The Watering Place by the Flemish Baroque painter, Peter Paul Rubens
A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens
Self Portrait at the Age of 63 by Rembrandt
Belshazzar's Feast by the Dutch artist Rembrandt
Two Watermills and an Open Sluice by the Dutch landscape painter Jacob van Ruisdael
Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket by Spanish artist Juan de Zurbarán
Still Life with Pears and Grapes by Claude Monet
Hélène Rouart in her Father's Study by the French artist Edgar Degas
The Raising of Lazarus, an altarpiece by the Italian High Renaissance artist Sebastiano del Piombo
The Entombment by Michelangelo, an unfinished oil-on-panel painting from around 1500–1501
Portrait of Pope Julius II (1503-1513) Painting by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio)
The Ambassadors by German artist Hans Holbein the Younger, painted in 1533. The painting is a double portrait of two French diplomats, Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Other Saints, also known as the Buonvisi Altarpiece, by the Italian artist Francesco Francia
The Madonna of the Pinks (also known as "La Madonna dei Garofani") by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Baby Jesus, who is reaching for a pink carnation flower
The Arnolfini Portrait by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck, created in 1434
The Assumption of the Virgin by Matteo di Giovanni
Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery
Adam and Eve by the Netherlandish artist Jan Gossaert, also known as Mabuse. It depicts the biblical figures of Adam and Eve at the moment after they have eaten the forbidden fruit
Hieronymus Bosch's Christ Mocked (The Crowning with Thorns)
The Virgin and Child ('The Madonna with the Iris') by Albrecht Dürer
This is the San Pier Maggiore Altarpiece, a large polyptych created by Jacopo di Cione and his workshop around 1370–1371 for the church of San Pier Maggiore in Florence, Italy
The Coronation of the Virgin with Adoring Saints by the Italian artist Lorenzo Monaco
The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Angels and Saints attributed to the Austrian painter Michael Pacher
The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Narrative Scenes by Margaritone d'Arezzo
The Assassination of Saint Peter Martyr by the Italian Renaissance master Giovanni Bellini
Sandro Botticelli's The Adoration of the Kings, also known as The Adoration of the Magi
Saint Catherine of Alexandria : Raphael
The Crucified Christ with the Virgin Mary : Rapahel
The Virgin of The Rocks by Leonardo Da Vinci
The Virgin of The Rocks by Leonardo Da Vinci
Rising boldly along the River Thames, Tate Modern is one of those places that instantly reminds you why London is a city of endless creativity. Housed inside a former power station, the museum blends industrial architecture with some of the most daring and influential modern art in the world. From towering installations in the Turbine Hall to thought-provoking works by artists like Picasso, Warhol, Dalí, and Hockney, every corner feels like an invitation to see the world differently.
What I love most about Tate Modern is how it refuses to be predictable. One moment you’re staring at a massive sculpture, the next you’re surrounded by abstract colours, political messages, or minimalist silence. It’s energetic, surprising, and completely free to visit — making it one of the city’s best stops for anyone curious about contemporary art and fresh perspectives.
Getting to Tate Modern is easy — it’s a short walk from Blackfriars and Southwark Underground stations, and about a 10-minute stroll across the Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s on the Central Line. You can also reach it by National Rail trains to London Blackfriars or London Bridge, or by bus routes 45, 63, 100, 381, and RV1, which stop nearby.
Here are some of the pics of Tate Modern I took that day.
