The Royal Scottish Academy

"The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture (RSA) is right next to the Scottish National Gallery on The Mound; in fact, they're joined by a walkway. It’s a publicly accessible institution, and the building is a lovely Neoclassical affair from 1836, complete with pale-blonde sandstone and colonnaded pillars. The collections at the RSA date from 1780 through the present day and honor artists from their emerging stages until they achieve success. The curation is first class; after all, this is one of Scotland’s foremost art institutions—just as it's been for 200 years." - Freya Herring

"Set the scene for us. What's this place all about? The Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture (RSA) is right next to the Scottish National Gallery on The Mound; in fact, they're joined by a walkway. It’s a publicly accessible institution, and the building is a lovely Neoclassical affair from 1836, complete with pale-blonde sandstone and colonnaded pillars. That sounds cool. Take us inside—what's it like? The interior feels more white-cube-like than you might expect from the classical exterior. The space is large, though, with lots of room to move about and plenty of art to appreciate around every turn. Speaking of art—what can we expect to see here? The collections at the RSA date from 1780 through the present day, and honor artists from their emerging stages until they achieve success. The curation is first class; after all, this is one of Scotland’s foremost art institutions—just as it's been for 200 years. Are the staff helpful? There are staff on hand who will advise on how to make the most of your visit. I’m interested. So who do you think the RSA is best for? Changing exhibitions tend to really dig deep into the given subject. If you're not interested in Scottish art, though, the RSA won’t be your cup of tea." - Freya Herring