The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art first opened in August 1960 at Inverleith House in EdinburghÕs Royal Botanic Garden. It moved to its present site on Belford Road in 1984. In March 1999, the Gallery of Modern Art expanded into a second building across the road called the Dean Gallery. As a sister gallery, it displays the Gallery of Modern Art’s permanent collection as well as hosting temporary exhibitions.

Both Galleries are set in extensive parkland where sculpture is displayed. The lawn to the front of the Gallery of Modern Art was re-landscaped in 2002 to a design by Charles Jencks. This dramatic work, or ‘landform’, comprises a stepped, serpentine mound reflected in three crescent-shaped pools of water.

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, together with the Dean Gallery, is home to the national collection of modern Scottish and international art from 1900 to the present day. The institutions care for, research and develop these collections, aiming to share these works of art with as wide a public as possible.

It has an active programme of education, outreach and special exhibitions and where possible it works with partners across Scotland to maximise the impact of activities.

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art presents a varied programme of collection displays and temporary exhibitions across the Gallery of Modern Art and Dean Gallery sites. The Gallery’s collection comprises more than 5,000 items, ranging in date from the late nineteenth century to the present. It encompasses work in a wide variety of media, from paintings, bronzes and works on paper, to kinetic sculpture and video installations.

Collection displays are often based on key art-historical movements, themes, solo artists or individual works. These displays are regularly enhanced by loans to the collection. The early part of the collection features French and Russian art from the beginning of the twentieth century, cubist paintings and superb holdings of expressionist and modern British art. The Gallery has an outstanding collection of Dada and Surrealist art, international post-war work, and the most important and extensive collection of modern and contemporary Scottish art. Special displays dedicated to its extensive archive and artistsÕ book collection are presented in the Gabrielle Keiller Library at the Dean Gallery. In 1994, the Edinburgh-born sculptor Sir Eduardo Paolozzi generously gave a large body of his work to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, some of which is permanently on display at the Dean.

In 2008 the Scottish National Gallery of Art acquired, in conjunction with Tate, the ARTIST ROOMS collection, through the generosity of Anthony d’Offay. This collection features over 1,000 works by many of the key figures in recent international art. The temporary exhibition programme regularly features monographic shows dedicated to modern and contemporary international, but in particular Scottish artists, which complement the permanent collection.

Scottish National Gallery of Art usually presents around 6 major exhibitions across both galleries annually, as well as frequent rehanging of the permanent collection.

Most outstanding projects in recent years:

Robert Mapplethorpe, Ron Mueck, Douglas Gordon: Superhumanatural, Richard Long: Walking and Marking, Picasso on Paper, Andy Warhol: A Celebration of LifeÉ. and Death, Joan Eardley, Tracey Emin 20 Years, The Islanders: An Introduction by Charles Avery, What you see is where you’re at (a year long rolling programme to celebrate the Gallery’s 50th anniversary), Another World: Dal’, Magritte, Mir— and the Surrealists.

The cross-institutional learning team at the National Galleries of Scotland organises a range of education events and programmes at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and Dean Gallery, suited to a broad range of audiences.

Distinct areas of programming: The Scottish National Gallery of Modern ArtÕs public programme includes lunchtime lectures, themed tours, practical workshops, academic conferences, seminars, film screenings and special events, aimed primarily at adults, including students in higher and further education. These events relate directly to the Galleries’ programmes of temporary exhibitions and displays of the permanent collection and involve curators, gallery educators, guest lecturers, academics, contemporary artists and writers. It also runs ÔSpinÕ, a discussion group model specifically designed to engage non-specialists with contemporary art. It meets monthly in galleries and more unusual exhibiting spaces across Edinburgh and Glasgow and features informal conversations with artists, critics, curators and collectors. Another well-established strand of our public programme includes activities for families with children during the weekends and holidays, such as drop-in practical art activities and resources, including self-guided trails.

Distinct areas of programming: In addition to its public programme, the Gallery schedules guided tours and practical workshops designed especially for schools and community groups, including access programmes for people living with many different types of disability.

Program strands: The Scottish National GalleryÕs award-winning programme for schools is a fundamental part of its learning activities at the Gallery of Modern Art and Dean and has been developed in conjunction with the new Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. It contains activities designed for pupils ranging from 3 to 18 years old and makes full use of the GalleriesÕ sculptures, sited outdoors in beautiful grounds, as well as the current in-gallery displays, including ARTIST ROOMS. Community programmes range from special outreach initiatives, working in partnership with external agencies and organisations, to on-site programmes organized mainly for locally-based community groups, such as elderly support organisations, art clubs, ethnic minority associations and womenÕs groups. A special strand of this community activity is its work with visitors with physical, learning and mental health issues. The Gallery has a particularly well-developed programme devoted to people who are blind or have visual impairments.

Types of publishing/
number per year: The National Galleries of Scotland has been publishing fine art books for over one hundred years. They range in subject from the old masters to contemporary art, and also include exhibition catalogues and guides which are both accessible and affordable. It publishes 12+ titles each year.

Type: Dean: total, 2545.29 m_
Gallery space 924.04 m_; Support services 592.35 m_; CafŽ 54.6 m_; Shop 54.04 m_; Toilets & Lift 75.93m_; Offices 844.33m_.

Gallery of Modern Art: total, 3514.76 m_
Gallery space 2131.93 m_; Support services 850.24 m_; CafŽ 149.52 m_; Shop 32m_; Toilets & Lift 42.66 m_;
Offices 308.41 m_.

Director / CEO: John Leighton, Director General, National Galleries of Scotland;
Simon Groom, Director, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

In 2009/10 our Grant-in-Aid from Government was £12.432m for running costs plus a further £1.26m for acquisitions.