The Photographers' Gallery

#46

Britain’s first gallery devoted solely to photography (founded 1971) and still its most agile. Five compact floors rotate from documentary to fashion to experimental work, stitched together by crisp writing and excellent prints. It’s easy to see everything in 60–90 minutes—longer if you fall down a book-shop rabbit hole or linger over the prize shows.

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Opening Hours

Sunday: 11:00 – 18:00

Monday: 10:00 – 18:00

Tuesday: 10:00 – 18:00

Wednesday: 10:00 – 18:00

Thursday: 10:00 – 20:00

Friday: 10:00 – 20:00

Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00

What's not to miss inside?

Deutsche Börse Prize Shows

A snapshot of the year’s most argued-over photography

From archives re-read to new forms of storytelling, this show tells you where the medium is headed.

Pick one project; read wall text fully; then step back and ‘read’ the sequence like a film.

📍 Upper galleries, spring/summer cycle

Project Space

Risk-friendly room

Installations, moving image and first UK outings keep the programme restless in the best way.

Circle once without labels; then circle again with them—notice how the story tightens.

📍 Mid floors, changing programme

Camera & Print Bar

Where looking becomes doing

Film stock, zines and small prints make participation affordable and immediate.

Set a budget before you descend; the photobook section is dangerously persuasive.

📍 Ground/basement shop

Friday Late (Free)

Open door to new audiences

A weekly free window that changes who wanders in—and what conversations happen.

Time a visit to overlap a talk or tour; the crowd energy is part of the show.

📍 All floors, after 4pm Fridays

🤓 Fun Facts

Founded in 1971 by Sue Davies, it was the UK’s first independent gallery dedicated to photography—decades before museums widely collected it.

The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize—hosted here—has propelled many now-famous artists into public view.

The current home on Ramillies Street opened in 2012, designed to pull foot traffic off Oxford Street into a calmer viewing space.

The basement bookshop is a tastemaker: limited-run photobooks often sell out here before they pop up on collectors’ lists.

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