One of Scotland’s most historic art galleries is getting a multi-million pound revamp

Edinburgh’s status as one of the greatest UK cities for culture in 2026 will come as a surprise to, well, no one. The Scottish capital, officially the country’s most beautiful and historic city, is a hub of indie restaurants, picturesque parks and cultural curiosities. Home to the iconic Edinburgh Fringe, it’s a stand out when it comes to festivals, and has a hefty roster of museums and galleries to boot.

And now, that roster is about to climb to even greater heights thanks to a £100 million project to give one of Edinburgh’s most historic art galleries a makeover.

Scotland’s National Gallery, which has remained one of the city centre’s top landmarks since the mid-19th century, has been earmarked for a revamp to secure its long-term future.

The multi-million pound investment will go towards constructing The Art Works, a new attraction housing around 130,000 artworks which will form part of the £1.3 billion regeneration of Edinburgh’s Granton area. Director-general Anne Lyden told The Herald that it would be positioned as Scotland's equivalent to the new V&A East Storehouse in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Work on the new space is expected to get underway during the summer, and The Art Works is set to open its doors in 2029. 

Its development lies at the heart of the National Galleries of Scotland’s long-term vision for the future. The organisation, which runs three sites across Edinburgh, has also revealed plans to rejuvenate levels three and four of the National Gallery, which are accessed from the Mound.

The work will turn the A-listed landmark into a ‘refurbished and modernised building with a refreshed suite of galleries and displays that will take us through to 2050 and beyond’, according to the plan blueprints. The building’s heating, plumbing, roofing and electrical systems will also be brought up to date. 

Scotland’s National Galleries attracted more than 2.6m illion visitors to its three main sites in Edinburgh last year and the revamp is intended to transform access to the country’s national collection of art treasures. 

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