Talbot Rice Gallery

About the museum

Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh and is in the university's Old College on South Bridge. Old College was designed by Robert Adam and completed by William Henry Playfair. After the library collection moved out in 1967, an arts centre with an exhibition hall opened in the quadrangle in 1970, paid for by a renovation grant from the Gulbenkian Foundation.

The gallery itself opened in 1975 under Professor Giles Henry Robertson. It is named after his predecessor David Talbot Rice, who was Professor of Fine Art at the university from 1934 to 1972. Tessa Giblin became director in 2016.

The gallery has two very different spaces: a contemporary white-cube gallery and a historic Georgian gallery, which was once a natural history museum. It presents three to four exhibitions a year by international and local artists, along with an artist-in-residence programme and the Trading Zone student exhibition made with Edinburgh College of Art. Recent solo shows have featured Celine Condorelli, Samson Young, Lucy Skaer and John Akomfrah. Entry is free, and the programme includes tours, workshops, family activities and sessions for schools and community groups.

Highlights

• Contemporary exhibitions by international and Scottish artists
• Historic Georgian gallery beside a white-cube space
• Free admission
• Artist-in-residence programme
• Tours, family activities and relaxed sessions
• Setting inside Old College, Edinburgh

Founded

1975

Operated by

University of Edinburgh

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main entrance is on the second floor and is reached by two flights of stairs or by a lift, and the lift goes directly from the ground floor to the White Gallery. A wheelchair can be borrowed on request and used on the main level, with access to the Georgian Gallery by stair lift. Folding chairs are available at reception. There is one accessible toilet, which also has baby changing facilities. Large print guides are provided for every exhibition and transcripts exist for video and sound works with dialogue. A British Sign Language welcome video is available, and the fire alarm is audible only, so deaf or hard of hearing visitors should tell reception on arrival. A visual storyboard and sensory map can be downloaded. Guide, hearing and assistance dogs are welcome and water is provided. Free parking for Blue Badge holders is on Chambers Street.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities

The public programme includes family-friendly activities, and each exhibition is accompanied by workshops for schools. The accessible toilet has baby changing facilities.

Getting there & parking

Enter the Old College quadrangle from South Bridge; the gallery entrance is in the far left corner of the quad. The taxi drop-off point is the Old College entrance on West College Street. Cycle racks are around Old College.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available

The gallery has a shop. Large bags and backpacks cannot be stored, and drinks may not be taken into the gallery.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit