Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery is home to the University of London’s Courtauld Institute of Art’s impressive collection that features paintings ranging from the old masters to post-impressionism with works by Cézanne, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Turner.

In November 2021, The Courtauld re-opened after a three-year £57 million refurbishment programme.

What to see at the Courtauld Gallery

Highlights include the Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet, the Theatre Box by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent Van Gogh and Botticelli’s The Trinity With Saints.

Although the gallery has a collection of over 26,000 works including 530 paintings (most of the collection consists of drawings and prints), it is considered a relatively small art museum.

Its manageable size, impressive collection and central location (it is right in the heart of London near Charing Cross station) make it a favourite of many visitors to London.

Temporary exhibitions at the Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery also hosts a number of permanent exhibitions. Current and upcoming exhibitions include:

Abstract Erotic
The Abstract Erotic exhibition (20 June–14 September 2025) explores the work of Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse and Alice Adams. The artists’ abstract forms and use of materials like latex and plaster engage with themes of sexuality and the body. Inspired by Lucy Lippard’s 1966 concept of ‘abstract erotic’, the exhibition features rarely seen works from European and American collections. It also marks the UK’s first museum exhibition of Alice Adams’ 1960s sculptures.

Louise Bourgeois: Drawings from the 1960s
A display of drawings by Louise Bourgeois, made during the 1960s, (20 June–14 September 2025) explores the relationship between Bourgeois’s drawings and her sculptural practice. Many works are on loan from The Easton Foundation. The drawings reflect themes of memory and emotion through abstract, rhythmic mark-making.

Wayne Thiebaud: American Still Life
Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021) became one of the most distinctive American artists of the 20th century. This exhibition (10 October 2025–18 January 2026) is the first museum show of his work in the UK. It focuses on Thiebaud’s vibrant still-life paintings of post-war American subjects, including diner food, pinball machines and deli counters. Featuring works from major US museum collections, it highlights Thiebaud’s belief in the artistic importance of everyday objects often dismissed as kitsch.

Visiting the Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Gallery is located in Somerset House on the Strand, not far from Charing Cross railway station and Covent Garden. Temple tube station is a five-minute walk from here and Covent Garden and Charing Cross railway station are around a 10-minutes walk from the gallery.

Pricing is cheaper if you visit on a weekday and admission is free of charge with a London Pass or a National Art Pass or if you are aged 18 or under.

The gallery has its own cafe plus a gift shop, although its location in the heart of London means that there are plenty of other options for eating and drinking nearby.

It is a relatively small museum with a handful of very famous paintings and most people spend between one and two hours here.