The National Gallery of Scotland, located in the heart of Edinburgh, is the oldest of the five galleries in Scotland, home to European paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance to the 19th century. National Gallery of Scotland, the oldest of the five galleries in Scotland. It sits on the "Mound" in the heart of Edinburgh, between the old old town and the new city that was built in the eighteenth century. The museum has the richest and most precious European paintings and sculptures in Scotland, covering all the genres from the Renaissance to the post-impressionism. It is the best of the same size art galleries in the world. The art gallery was designed by William Henry Prefair (1790 - 1857) and was laid by Prince Albert in 1850 and officially opened to the public in 1859. The museum is located in its predecessor, also next to the Royal Society Building designed by Prefair (this building is now the Royal Scottish Institution building). The National Gallery of Scotland has recently been refurbished and reopened in the summer of 2003. It is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.