London's Galleries
Courtauld Institute of Art Somerset House, Strand, WC2 Underground: Temple
Website: www.courtauld.ac.uk FREE
Contains a smaller collection than the National Gallery and, as such, draws smaller crowds - which is probably a positive! Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings from Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Cézanne and Turner, amongst others. As part of the University of London, you can study undergraduate and postgraduate courses here, and spring and summer intensive classes can also be taken. 

National Gallery Trafalgar Square, WC2 Underground: Leicester Square or Charing Cross
Website: www.nationalgallery.org.uk FREE
Founded in 1824 with only 38 pictures, the Gallery has evolved to house a huge permanent collection of paintings from Western Europe from the time period 1250 to 1900. Amongst the best known paintings are Sunflowers by Van Gogh, The Water-Lily Pond by Monet and The Hay Wain by Constable. The Gallery also houses special and touring exhibitions, some of which have admission fees, so check the website to see what's on and when.

National Portrait Gallery 2 St Martin's Place WC2 Underground: Leicester Square or Charing Cross
Website: www.npg.org.uk FREE
As the name may indicate, contains portraits of British men and women that have been collected over the years - the Gallery itself was founded in 1856. The contemporary displays may be of interest, as well as the special exhibitions. The Gallery's website provides visitors with the chance to search through the entire collection...pretty amazing stuff! Some say that some of the portraits are less interesting than noting which individuals have been deemed worthy of inclusion.

Tate Britain Millbank SW1 Underground: Pimlico Website: www.tate.org.uk FREE
Houses a fantastic collection of British Art from 1500 to the present day. There are also special exhibitions taking place throughout the year, so it is advisable to check the website to see what's on.

Tate Modern Bankside SE1 Underground: Southwark or Blackfriars Website: www.tate.org.uk FREE
A huge gallery housing the largest collection of modern and cotemporary art in the world, all in a converted former power station - the building is worthy a visit in itself. As for the art work, tt will probably take you a full day to get through the entire place!