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The Queen's Gallery Review

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The Queen's Gallery

Address: Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace Rd., St. James's, London, SW1A 1AA | Map It
Phone: 020/7766-7301
www.royal.gov.uk

Category: Museums/Galleries
Location: Westminster and Royal London

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 3.6/5

Fodor's Review:

The former chapel at the south side of Buckingham Palace is now a temple of art and rare and exquisite objects, acquired by kings and queens over the centuries. Although Her Majesty herself is not the personal owner, she has the privilege of holding these works for the nation. Step through the splendid portico (designed by John Simpson) into elegantly restrained, spacious galleries whose walls are hung with some truly great works. An excellent audio guide takes you through the treasures.

A rough timeline of the major royal collectors starts with Charles I. An avid appreciator of painters, Charles established the basis of the Royal Collection, purchasing works by Mantegna, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and Dürer (it was under royal patronage that Rubens painted the Banqueting House ceiling). During the Civil War and in the aftermath of Charles's execution, many masterpieces were sold abroad and subsequently repatriated by Charles II. George III, who bought Buckingham House, scooped up a notable collection of Venetian (including Canaletto), Renaissance (Bellini and Raphael), and Dutch (Vermeer) art, and a large number of baroque drawings, in addition to patronizing English contemporary artists such as Gainsborough, Hoppner, and Beechey. He also took a liking to American artist Benjamin West. The Prince Regent, George IV, transformed his father's house into a palace, filling it with fine art from paintings to porcelain. In particular, he had a good eye for Rembrandt, contemporary equestrian works by Stubbs, and lavish portraits by Lawrence. Queen Victoria had a penchant for Landseer animals and landscapes, Frith's contemporary scenes, and portraits by Winterhalter. Finally, Edward VII indulged Queen Alexandra's love of Fabergé, and many royal tours around the empire produced gifts of gorgeous caliber, such as the Cullinan diamond from South Africa and an emerald-studded belt from India.

The Queen's Gallery displays only a selection from the Royal Collection in themed exhibitions, while more than 3,000 objects reside in museums and galleries in the United Kingdom and abroad: check out the National Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Museum of London, and the British Museum. The E-gallery provides an interactive electronic version of the collection, allowing the user to open lockets, remove a sword from its scabbard, or take apart the tulip vases. It's probably the closest you could get to eyeing practically every diamond in the sovereign's glittering diadem.

Cost: £8.50 with free audio guide, joint ticket with Royal Mews £14.50
Open: Daily 10-5:30; last admission 4:30
Tube: Victoria, St. James's Park, Green Park

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 4/2/08
This is a small museum with a somewhat sizable price tag given its scope. Timed entry is a bit of a pain. Some good things here, but exactly what will be displayed at any one time can be unpredictable (the Vermeer was not out when I went). Not bad, though there are better and cheaper small art museums in London.