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254 works across 4 institutions
London holds 254 works by J. M. W. Turner across 4 institutions, including British Museum, National Gallery, and 2 other venues.
J. M. W. Turner in London
Turner in London
Turner lived in London for nearly all of his life and left the bulk of his estate to the nation. The result is that London holds the largest and most comprehensive Turner collection in the world — not spread across multiple institutions but concentrated, deliberately, in the Tate Britain's dedicated Clore Gallery, which he specified in his will. Around 300 oil paintings and 30,000 works on paper: the full arc of his career, from the topographical precision of his early work to the near-abstraction of the late paintings.
The Fighting Temeraire — voted the greatest painting in Britain in a public poll — is here, along with Rain, Steam and Speed, The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, and the late Venice paintings that made him controversial in his lifetime and influential for a century after his death. If you have time for only one Turner room in London, the late works are the ones.
Planning your visit
The Tate Britain is free and rarely as crowded as the Tate Modern across the river. Give the Clore Gallery at least two hours — the scale of what's there takes time to absorb.
Collections in this city
British Museum
London · 21 works on display
+13 more
National Gallery
London · 214 works on display
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square houses one of the world's great collections of Western European painting, from the 13th to the 19th century, with particular strength in the Dutch Golden Age and Impressionism. Entry to the permanent collection is free.
A Country Blacksmith Disputing upon the Price of Iron, and the Price Charged to the Butcher for Shoeing his Poney
National Gallery
c. 1807
LondonWikidata
+206 more
Tate Britain
London · 13 works on display
Tate Britain on Millbank holds the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present, including the world's finest holdings of Turner's paintings. Entry to the permanent collection is free, and the Turner galleries are a highlight of any visit.
Briton Ferry: A Fisherman’s Cottage and a Boat Pulled Up under a Low Cliff
Image rights reserved
Briton Ferry: A Fisherman’s Cottage and a Boat Pulled Up under a Low Cliff
Tate Britain
LondonWikidata
Phryne Going to the Public Baths as Venus: Demosthenes Taunted by Aeschines
Tate Britain
c. 1838
LondonWikidata
River Scene: Sunset
Image rights reserved
+5 more
Victoria and Albert Museum
London · 6 works on display
About the artist
J. M. W. Turner
British · Romanticism · 1775–1851
Turner was the greatest British landscape painter and one of the most radical artists of his era, dissolving landscape and seascape into light and atmosphere in ways that anticipated Impressionism and abstraction. He spent his career in London, with extensive travels through Europe, and bequeathed hundreds of works to the nation — the core of Tate Britain's collection.
Key works
The Fighting TemeraireRain, Steam and SpeedSlavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying
Frequently asked questions
How many J. M. W. Turner paintings are on display in London?
Our current data shows 254 J. M. W. Turner paintings on display in London, spread across the National Gallery, the British Museum, and 2 other venues. Coverage is based on Wikidata records and may not reflect every work currently on display.
Which museum in London has the most J. M. W. Turner paintings?
National Gallery holds the largest share, with 214 works by J. M. W. Turner in London.
Where else can I see J. M. W. Turner's paintings?
J. M. W. Turner's paintings are distributed across museums in multiple countries. Our artist page lists every city in our collection where their work is currently on display — use it to plan a multi-city trip or find works closer to home. Browse all cities for J. M. W. Turner →
Planning your visit to London
Most major national museums in London are free to enter permanently — the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and National Portrait Gallery all charge nothing for the permanent collection. The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House and the Wallace Collection are also free. Pre-booking is rarely needed for permanent collections but recommended for major temporary exhibitions.
Artwork data sourced from Wikidata. Coverage varies — always confirm with the museum before visiting.