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 programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and upcoming exhibitions include:

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.

Seurat and the Sea
This exhibition (13 February–17 May 2026) focuses on the seascapes of French artist Georges Seurat (1859–1891). Bringing together 27 paintings, sketches and drawings from his summers on the northern French coast, it traces how maritime subjects shaped his Neo-Impressionist style. The display highlights Seurat’s exploration of light, colour and atmosphere, offering new insight into a less familiar part of his short career.

Hepworth in Colour
This exhibition (12 June–6 September 2026) examines Barbara Hepworth’s (1903–1975) lifelong engagement with colour in her sculpture and drawings. Bringing together around 20 sculptures and 30 works on paper, it highlights how she used colour to enhance form and surface from the 1940s to the 1960s. The display includes vividly painted wood and stone carvings, as well as later bronzes and coloured marbles from collections worldwide.

Salman Toor: Someone Like You
This exhibition (2 October 2026–10 January 2027) presents around 20 paintings by New York-based artist Salman Toor (born 1983, Lahore). His work explores themes of belonging, identity and intimacy, depicting imagined yet familiar scenes of friendship, solitude and queer experience. The display includes The Bar on East 13th (2019), referencing Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, and a selection of Toor’s drawings highlighting his detailed and expressive approach to observation.

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.