MATERIALS
Pencil is the safe bet
Graphite pencil is welcome at all three galleries. Wet materials and sprays are the usual no: the V&A says they may be a risk to the collections.
Check your materials
WHAT THE GALLERIES SAY
Bring a pencil,
leave the paint.
Museums have welcomed sketchers for generations.
The V&A, London's National Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria all encourage drawing in their permanent galleries. Their rules on materials, paper size and exhibitions are worth knowing before you set out.
A3 MAX pencil in hand
Check your materials- Pencil is always safe
- Nothing wet or sprayed
- Make room for others
- A sketchbook and a quiet corner
THE SHORT ANSWER
Dry, small
and considerate.
Three galleries' published rules,
one surprisingly consistent message.
EXHIBITIONS
Loans bring their own rules
Lenders to temporary exhibitions often make no sketching a condition of the loan. London's National Gallery does not allow sketching in its exhibition spaces at all.
Why exhibitions differ
ETIQUETTE
Make room for viewers
Move aside when someone wants to see the work, keep out of doorways and never lean on cases or plinths. The V&A offers stools in most galleries.
Before you go
FOUR THINGS TO PACK AND KNOW
Travel light,
draw longer.
Taken together, the three galleries' rules make a simple kit list and a few habits that keep you welcome.
Pack pencils and an A3-or-smaller book
Graphite and coloured pencils are the materials most widely welcome. Keep the sketchbook to A3 or less.
Leave easels and sprays at home
The V&A does not allow easels, and the NGV needs written permission for them. Neither allows spray fixatives in the galleries.
Check the exhibition sign
Temporary shows can ban sketching or even pencils under loan conditions. The NGV signs these at the ticket desk and entrance.
Keep the view clear
Step aside for other visitors, stay out of doorways and access routes, and be ready to move along if staff ask, so everyone can see the work.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Plenty of room,
small paper.
One figure on paper size,
one on how much there is to draw.
A3 max
Largest sketchbook allowed
Both London's National Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria limit sketchbooks or paper to A3, which the NGV gives as 42.0 by 29.7 cm.
PAPER SIZE · NATIONAL GALLERY, NGV
7 miles
Permanent galleries open to sketchers
In 2016 a V&A spokeswoman said the museum supports and encourages sketching in all its seven miles of permanent galleries.
SPACE TO DRAW · V&A
London's National Gallery is open 361 days a year and general admission is free, according to its Visitor Admissions Policy.
A QUICK MATERIALS CHECK
Can I draw
with this?
Pick a material to see what the V&A, London's National Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria say. The bar shows how widely it is allowed across the three.
Rules change and individual rooms or exhibitions can differ. Check signs at the door and the museum's own website before you go.
WHY EXHIBITIONS DIFFER
Borrowed art,
borrowed rules.
The National Gallery of Victoria explains that lenders and insurers regularly make no pens, pencils or other writing implements a condition of loan, because large moving crowds raise the risk of accidental damage. It calls this an international convention.
When the V&A was criticised in 2016 for a no-sketching sign, it said loan agreements sometimes require the rule and that it works to keep such cases to a minimum. Its permanent galleries stay open to sketchers.
Questions
Questions people ask
Can I sketch in museums in the UK?
In many, yes. The V&A encourages sketching with graphite and coloured pencils or white chalks, and London's National Gallery welcomes sketching and drawing in rooms with paintings on display.
Why do some exhibitions ban sketching?
Lenders often make it a condition of the loan. The National Gallery of Victoria says this protects works from accidental damage in crowded shows, and the V&A has cited loan agreements too.
Can I use pens or charcoal?
It depends on the museum. London's National Gallery allows ballpoints, fountain pens with an internal reservoir and medium or hard charcoal; the V&A asks visitors not to use charcoal, and the NGV asks for pencils rather than pens.
Can I bring an easel or paint?
Usually not without arrangement. The V&A does not allow easels, the National Gallery only allows painting under its Copyist Scheme, and the NGV needs written permission in advance.
How big can my sketchbook be?
London's National Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria both set A3 as the largest size for sketchbooks or paper.
Sources
- V&A: Guidelines for using the galleries
- National Gallery, London: Visitor Admissions Policy
- National Gallery of Victoria: Sketching and Note-taking Guidelines
- Museums Association: Is it OK for museums to ban sketching in exhibitions? (2016)
Updated