Home to an impressive collection spread across 21 gallery spaces, Aberdeen Art Gallery houses a range of works spanning several centuries, with a focus on the work of local artists.
The handsome granite building that is home to Aberdeen Art Gallery was originally designed by A Marshall Mackenzie, with the museum opening for the first time in 1885. With its original focus on a blend of industrial and fine art exhibitions, the museum has since branched out into modern art, decorative art, maritime history, technology and archaeology, among other areas of interest.
After a major redevelopment completed in 2019, the new space features 21 galleries, including a rooftop gallery to showcase exhibitions and a community gallery.
Comprising paintings, sculpture and graphics, the collection spans from the 15th century to the present day, including 18th-century portraits, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces and powerful 20th-century and contemporary works.
There is a strong focus on celebrating the work of local artists and there are many notable exports from Aberdeen whose work is featured in the permanent collection, such as a significant collection of enamel jewellery by James Cromer Watt (1862-1940) and the largest collection of outfits by fashion designer Bill Gibb (1943-88). There is also an exquisite collection of paintings by prolific 19th-century French artists such as Monet, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec.
