Aberdeen Art Gallery

Aberdeen Art Gallery stands on Schoolhill in the heart of the city's cultural quarter, a few minutes' walk from Union Street and the main railway station. Designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie and opened in 1885, the gallery is built from the silver granite for which Aberdeen is famous, with a striking pillared ground-floor arcade in polished local stone. A major refurbishment completed in 2019 added a new rooftop extension and significantly increased the display space across three floors.

The permanent collection is one of the strongest civic holdings in Scotland, with particular depth in 19th and 20th century Scottish painting. Visitors will find works by the Glasgow Boys, the Scottish Colourists, and figures such as Joan Eardley, alongside British names including Francis Bacon, Tracey Emin and Bridget Riley. Earlier galleries display fine examples of Pre-Raphaelite, Victorian and Edwardian art, while contemporary spaces host a regularly changing programme of exhibitions.

The building also incorporates the Cowdray Hall and the city's war memorial, giving it a civic role beyond its art collections. Free to enter, with a cafe and shop on site, it is one of the most rewarding indoor attractions in the north-east of Scotland.