Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is The Queen’s official residence in Scotland and where the Sovereign stays during Royal Week every summer. This fine baroque palace, once home to Mary, Queen of Scots, is closely associated with Scotland’s rich history and is today the setting for State ceremonies and official entertaining. The State Apartments are renowned for their fine plasterwork ceilings and magnificent furnishings, particularly the unrivalled collection of Brussels tapestries. Familes can explore the Palace with a lively audio tour and, during the holidays, may take part in our changing programme of family activities. For a very special visit, enjoy an exclusive behind-the-ropes evening guided tour, available on 5, 12, 16 and 26 August at 18.30. Combine your visit to the Palace with The Queen’s Gallery, where magnificent works of art from the Royal Collection are shown. From 30 April 2010 to 9 January 2011, Dutch Landscapes brings together 42 remarkable works, including paintings by Jacob van Ruisdael, Aelbert Cuyp, Nicolaes Berchem and Meyndert Hobbema. 17th-century Dutch painting saw a decrease in the demand of religious paintings and the emergence of a new genre, landscape painting, which gained an independent status and currency in its own right. While some painters turned to the countryside and to the sea to convey a pride in their homeland, others travelled further afield for inspiration, to the mountainous vistas and golden light of Italy. Opening times for the Palace and the Gallery are; April to October: daily from 09:30-18:00, November to March: daily from 09:30-16:30. Palace of Holyroodhouse: adult: £10.25; concession: £9.30; under 17: £6.20; under 5: free; family (2 adult, 3 under 17): £27.00. The Queen’s Gallery: adult: £5.50; concession: £5.00; under 17: £3.00; under 5: free; family (2 adult, 3 under 17): £14.00.