The National Gallery houses one of the greatest art collections of Western European painting in the world, comprising approximately 2,300 works of art dating from about 1250-1900. The Gallery is in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London, and is easily reached by public transport.

National Gallery Education provides extensive services for adults, families with children, schools and teachers. Talks for school pupils aged 3 to 18 can be booked throughout the school year: an average of 100,000 school children a year visit the Gallery. At the Gallery there are special cloakrooms and sandwich rooms for student groups.

A large team of skilled and experienced gallery teachers help both students and teachers access the entire collection of art. The paintings can be used to enrich learning in every area of the curriculum including art: a visit to the Gallery will encourage students to learn how to read and enjoy looking at paintings, and show them how paintings can link with other subjects and their own experiences.

·         ‘Talking Paintings’ is an hour-long gallery talk for school students aged 3 – 18 on a topic of your choice. These free guided visits can be booked to meet all curriculum needs. For information and bookings please telephone 020 7747 2424.

·         Other activities for schools include sessions for groups with special needs and story-telling on the Magic Carpet for nursery-age children. For information and bookings please telephone 020 7747 2424.

Study days for sixth-form students are organised to accompany particular exhibitions and are suitable for both students and teachers. For information please telephone 020 7747 2424.

There are regular training days for primary and secondary teachers, both for individual teachers, head teachers and for whole staffs. Informal teachers’ evenings are organized to include private views of special art exhibitions. For information and bookings please telephone 020 7747 2424.

Talks for families are held each weekend, and special drawing-related activities take place in the galleries on the second weekend of each month. 'Picture This!' a programme of workshop-based activities for families, runs during school holidays. 

Lectures for adult visitors are given every week from Tuesday to Saturday, on a wide range of subjects relating to the art collection and current exhibitions. Lectures take place both in the galleries and in the Sainsbury Wing Theatre. There are occasional special lectures and films on Mondays.

For visitors there is an extensive and wide-ranging programme of short courses and study days and study mornings. Guided tours are given twice daily every day, with an additional tour on Wednesday evenings. Tours on the first Saturday of each month are interpreted in British Sign Language. Events are also organised for blind and visually impaired visitors. Ten Minute Talks are held in the Gallery on weekday afternoons and Picture in Focus talks at 6pm on Wednesdays.

For the full monthly calendar of talks and events at the Gallery, plus special interactive features, visit the website at http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk