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About this place
Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh, part of Edinburgh College of Art. It occupies the university's Old College building in Edinburgh, Scotland. Admission is free, and the exhibition programme changes through the year.
What is this place?
The gallery was established in 1975 and is named after David Talbot Rice, a former Professor of Fine Art at the university. The building holds three exhibition spaces of very different character, so shows can be presented in contrasting ways.
Which spaces can you see?
The first is the contemporary white cube, the White Gallery: a neutral, bright room typical of modern art venues. It was originally built as a series of chemistry lecture theatres, a reminder of how the building has changed function over time.
The second is the Georgian Gallery, a neoclassical hall that served in the 19th century as the university's natural history museum. It has long been tied to scientific collections, and the young Charles Darwin, who studied medicine in Edinburgh in the 1820s, is said to have sharpened his passion for natural history here. The room also displays the Torrie Collection, the university's collection of Old Master paintings.
The third is a project space, and between the White Gallery and the Georgian Gallery sits the Round Room, a connecting space used for installations and experimental projects.
What exhibitions are shown?
The programme includes several exhibitions each year. Solo shows give international artists access to University of Edinburgh research and collections. Conceptual group shows put key political and social issues in the foreground. The gallery has also run "Closet for the Curious", a project looking back at the Georgian Gallery's natural history past.
Why visit Talbot Rice Gallery?
- Admission is free, so you can drop in briefly while exploring the Old Town.
- One building combines contemporary art with the neoclassical interior of a former museum.
- Exhibitions connect art with the university's research.
- It sits within the historic Old College complex, one of the university's notable buildings.
Frequently asked questions
Is Talbot Rice Gallery free? Yes. The gallery is open to the public and admission is free.
Who runs the gallery? It is the gallery of the University of Edinburgh, part of Edinburgh College of Art.
How many exhibition spaces are there? Three: a contemporary white cube, the neoclassical Georgian Gallery and a project space. The Round Room links the two main galleries.
Do exhibitions change? Yes, the gallery stages several exhibitions a year, so check the current programme on its website before you go.
Where is it? In Edinburgh, Scotland, in the university's Old College building.
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