Four tips for a visit.
1. Keep in mind there are two locations. The Courtauld Institute, near Kings Cross, is the school. The Gallery, where all the paintings are, is off the Strand in the Covent Garden area.
2. Unlike a sprawling general art museum such as the wonderful National, the Courtauld features a small collection of stunning gems, especially the Impressionists. Think of Manet’s Bar at the Folies Bergere and Van Gogh’s bandaged ear. But masterpieces range from the Middle Ages forward.
3. Plan a visit around one of the special exhibitions or tours and get tickets in advance. I bought a membership to gain preferred access to last winter’s Monet show and thought it was worth it.
4. You can do it in an hour, but you will want more time. The Café is good for a break, but for lunch there are many better restaurants in the area. For my interests, the gift shop was only worth a quick glance.