What to Know When Visiting An Art Gallery

No one wants to look like an airhead when visiting an art gallery. But that is why we are giving you a few tips that will have you looking like a seasoned pro. Now don’t get ahead of yourself, you won’t be ready to have some intense artistic debates or anything, but you will be able to look like you belong in the art gallery even if you just came as a favor to a friend.

If it’s your first time attending an art gallery, you are probably going to try your hardest to look like you actually belong. But this could just end up making you stick out even more. A better tip would be to do your homework. Don’t worry it won’t be anything too intense but it will help you with some speaking points. Do some research on an artist showing their work.

Getty Images / DigitalVision / Thomas Barwick

With art galleries, there is a lot of walking involved but this doesn’t mean you should speed through just to get it over with. Try to take your time. Better yet, pause. Try to take in the artwork of one room for a while. This doesn’t mean you should stand there for hours but give yourself enough time to rest your feet if there is a bench and then move on.

Next on the list is trying to resist the urge to follow the crowd. The gallery you are visiting might have a famous painting such as the Mona Lisa, so there will definitely be a crowd. Try to separate yourself and visit other rooms first. After all, you don’t want to look like just another fan. Once you see the crowd had died down then you can go ahead and view the work of art. Lastly, don’t worry about what you don’t know. No one expects you to be an expert. Instead,
focus on it being a learning experience. You will see that there is someone willing to give you some insight into the work.