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National Gallery Tour - A Walk through Art History
National Gallery Tour - A Walk through Art History
5.0
11 reviews
Explore the masterpieces of the National Gallery with Dan on this relaxed and engaging 1.5-hour tour. Discover fascinating stories behind the paintings, from the personal lives of the artists to the hidden details in their work. Uncover the meaning and history of iconic artworks, making the world of art accessible and fun for everyone.
From €20 / person
Check datesFrom €20 / person
Check datesHighlights
- Explore over 700 years of art history, from the 1200s to the 20th century, with an expert guide.
- Discover the hidden stories, personal dramas, and cultural upheavals that inspired the world’s greatest masterpieces.
- Enjoy a relaxed, conversational approach—perfect for art enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
- Marvel at works by legendary artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, and more.
- Customize your experience by exploring favorite or lesser-known pieces with your guide.
Full description
The National Gallery is an amazing museum with over 700 years of art history within its many rooms. It is London's answer to the Louvre and the Uffizi, and it can be equally as exhilarating and exhausting.
For this tour, I offer to gently walk you through the paintings while following a coherent storyline. So much is happening behind the paint and brushtrokes of the masters: wars, plagues, revolutions, religious upheavals, and much more.
Many artists were expressing the strangeness of the time they were living in, many expressed their own inner turmoils and anxieties.
I would like to take you on a guided walk and not pontificate on art. We'll have a walk and a chat about what is happening on the surface and behind these great artworks. We'll also poke fun at the seriousness of art history, and get to see how many works reference one another.
We will meet all the big names from the 1200s to the 20th century. The purpose of this tour is to gain a better understanding on the history of art and what to read in a painting, but also to have fun doing it, in a relaxed, informal way. I keep the groups small for that reason.
A word from your host
Daniel
Hi, I'm Daniel, a professional London tour guide and I work for both tour companies and private tours of my own. Being a guide is the best job ever as I get to meet so many people from all parts of the world, and I've taken thousands of visitors on journeys across London.
Sharing London’s history is my passion, and the National Gallery is a personal favorite. It’s packed with masterpieces, each with a story waiting to be uncovered.
This isn’t a lecture, it’s a conversation about what makes art so compelling and human. I’ll help you discover the joy in understanding a painting, from the funny quirks to the profound emotions behind the brushstrokes. I look forward to showing you this iconic institution through a unique and engaging lens!
Know before you go
- This tour is wheelchair accessible
- This tour is available in English or Italian
Includes
✔️ Guided tour with a professional art historian
❌ Transportation to National Gallery
❌ Food and Drink
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes
Cancellation policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Meeting & end points
End point
Same location
Customer reviews
Alice
Daniel gave us very impressive tour in the gallery. We enjoyed the inspirations he shared with us. Sybil, my 9 year old daughter, was treated very gently, full of humorous details within those master pieces. Hope We will definitely catch up with Daniel next time when we visit this city. Thanks very much.
Emily
I gave this experience as a gift to my parents on their trip to London and they said “it was fantastic”. They are frequent visitors to art museums and said that Daniel was very knowledgable and a really nice guy also. It was great value and I would definitely gift this to any art lovers (or just anyone who’s curious to know more about what they’re looking at!)
Lainie
Excellent knowledge of the works of Art. Daniel brings the art to life and helped us to comprehend how the paintings were represented. He had great stories and insight and made the visit very pleasant. His communication style is very easy to understand. Highly recommend!
Wendy
Daniel was very knowledgeable about the museum and art in general. We learned a lot and appreciated that he brought out the cultural background and the painters' innovations. His knowledge of Italy was also very helpful. Overall an excellent experience. We'd definitely recommend.
Rebeca
I highly recommend booking this experience (or any) with Daniel! We snagged a last-minute reservation and it was one of the best decisions we made. While the National Gallery is free to enter, having someone as passionate about art history as Daniel really elevates the experience. He helped us dive deep into the meaning behind the paintings, which made all the difference. Just like others have said, time flew by, and we wished we could have spent even more time with him. He made the tour enjoyable and engaging, and we left with a newfound appreciation for art—especially the Milky Way!
Manasa
We LOVED the whole experience. My husband and I are art novices but Daniel was really thorough and fun and made it really easy for us to follow the storyline and understand the art. 2 hours just flew past and we really wished we had an entire day’s time with Daniel. Don’t think twice, just go for it! Experience of a lifetime.
Richard
We were a family of four with two teenage girls and booked Daniel to do a tour of the National Gallery. I had visited the gallery many times before and done the free snapshot tours run by the gallery staff. I wanted something that would capture the highlights in a way the would engage the whole family and Daniel did a fantastic job. He arranged pre booked tickets for a fast entry and led the way from early renaissance through to the impressionists - covering all the major works I had remembered. The whole family really enjoyed the tour particularly Daniel's relaxed style and informative, insightful but accessible commentary. It a fabulous gallery. Highly recommend Daniel.
Vincent
Very pleasant visit of the National Gallery with Daniel who has an excellent knowledge of the art displayed in the museum and who is a great storyteller. I also enjoyed the fact that he was very adaptable to our wishes in terms of what we wanted to focus on and discuss. I will definitely reach out to him next time again!
Raphael
I had a great time with Dan in the National Gallery. It was a private tour which gave me the opportunity to ask questions any time. There were interesting stories and anecdotes every now and then and I learned a lot about art history. It felt like having a tour with a friend. A lot of fun!
Amy
We had a great time with Daniel! I enjoyed all the stories and background Daniel told us about many of the paintings. He added lots of personality relating back to us as we walked and looked at each painting. He told us not just about the painting itself, but also about the artist! Love to do it again! We got so much more out of the national gallery experience than we would have wandering around aimlessly on our own.
Antony
Although Daniel had to shorten our experience, it was well worth the hour we spent with him. His knowledge of Art and all its associated subject matter was amazing. I’ve been into the National Gallery many times but this was the best I’ve ever experienced of it; he brought everything to life and gave a deep and entertaining tour that was priceless like many of the art work we saw! 15 out of 10 🏆👍🏻