The Queen’s Gallery has now become The King’s Gallery.
The King's Gallery was built in the shell of the former Holyrood Free Church and Duchess of Gordon’s School at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The buildings were originally constructed in the 1840s with funds from the Duchess of Gordon, but fell into disuse in the late 19th century.
Architectural design
Plans for the new Gallery began in October 1999, with an architectural design by Benjamin Tindall Architects, to complement the original 19th-century architecture. A new stone arched entrance was created opposite the new Scottish Parliament building. The use of a stone archway, with a courtyard beyond, is a traditional style in Scottish architecture. The large stone lettering above the entrance are cut from single pieces of stone and sit below Scotland’s heraldic lion. The monumental entrance doors are made of oak, with gilded bronze hinges.
Continuing the heraldic theme, the main hinges are decorated with the Scottish lion and unicorn. The upper hinges are made as golden boughs of flowering native trees – chestnut and laburnum, oak, rowan and hawthorn.
The Gallery opened in 2002
The Gallery (then known as The Queen's Gallery) was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 29 November 2002, as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The King's Gallery
Following His Majesty The King’s Accession, The Queen’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse became The King’s Gallery in 2024.
The Gallery shows changing exhibitions of works of art from the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. See the latest exhibition on our main Gallery page, or look for specific events taking place at the Gallery.
