The one star “review” below is totally misleading in my opinion. Anything you read beforehand about the Turner exhibition tells you that there is a fee. It is a very small charge (£5, £4 for us pensioners), and it is customary in any art gallery (all over the world) to charge a fee for special exhibitions – the rest is free and is far more than “just two rooms with paintings”. The Turner exhibition was the best £4 I have spent in a long time – beautifully curated including 20 other Turner works specially loaned, to take you finally to the main focal point of the Fighting Temeraire. Also we called into the café before our visit, and the (very good) espresso was a mere £1 for a double shot! Bargain all round!

A lovely way to spend a couple of hours. There was an exhibition celebrating Turner when I visited. A bonus as I am a fan. Some beautiful art and artifacts. I didn't use the cafe but it looked very nice and even displayed artworks in there. The usual 'offices' were available and clean. The obligatory exit through the shop had some nice quality merchandise. The staff I spoke to were friendly and helpful.

As an occasional visitor to the city I usually visit the Laing. Last time was a special trip to see the Lindisfarne Gospels, this time for the Turner. I feel they have really raised their game here as it improves every time. The exhibitions are so well done and the new 'belonging' rooms a great bonus. Got a bit lost trying to find the Killip show but was well worth the adventure !

In August 2024, I visited the Laing Art Gallery with my mum. Within this visit we explored watercolour paintings, abstract pieces, glass works and detailed oil on canvas artworks. We visited the free exhibitions, however, there were other exhibitions which cost a small fee. The free exhibitions contained a variety of different and unique pieces all from artists deriving from the North East. I found it very interesting to learn about the different styles of art coming from the North East and the popularity of the art of glass blowing in the region. Lots of the paintings depicted objects from the North East such as the landscapes, bridges and the coal mining industry and I found it very interesting to learn about the development of the area. The gallery had clean toilets, a cute and welcoming cafe and a studio where you can complete art activities. Overall, I rated the gallery five stars as it contained pieces of art, which fascinated me (especially the watercolour artworks).

We have been planning to visit the Turner exhibition for some time, as it may be our only chance to do so. We wanted to avoid the school holidays, which left only this week before the event finished. There was a small entrance fee, (the rest of the museum exhibits being free to enjoy.) I had not realised that Turner did many paintings of the North East, which we could easily relate to. Of course, the star of the show was, The Fighting Temeraire; which was worth the entry fee alone. I have seen the painting several times on TV but it looks even better close up. It has an ethereal quality about it. The colours really stand out and the more you look at it, the more you see. Not to undermine his other paintings or those of the other artists on display but this is a true masterpiece, in every sense of the word. Pleased that we made the effort to see it. There were other artists on display with Turner and I particularly enjoyed some of the industrial scenes of the North East. The other large exhibition space had an eclectic mix of paintings, some of which are excellent and others which may fall under the category of 'there's no accounting for taste.' On the ground floor, the exhibition of mostly industrial North East art, was very enjoyable and a poignant reminder of times past, on the River Tyne. There is a pleasant cafe, toilets on each floor and a gift shop on two levels. Donations are always welcome.