Gallery vs. Hallway — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 9, 2024
A gallery is a spacious area for displaying artwork or items, often in museums or art spaces, while a hallway is a corridor or passageway that connects rooms or sections within a building.
Difference Between Gallery and Hallway
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A gallery is a designated space used to display art or collectibles, usually offering wide, open areas for viewing. On the other hand, a hallway is a narrow passage linking different rooms, primarily serving as a means of movement within buildings.
A gallery often houses curated collections or temporary exhibitions, providing a focused environment for showcasing creative works, while hallways are designed for functionality, facilitating access to various parts of a home or office.
Galleries are more specialized, often requiring specific lighting and security to protect the displayed pieces. In contrast, hallways are simpler, usually with basic lighting and minimal decoration to prioritize convenience.
A gallery is frequently an attraction, drawing visitors specifically to view its collections or exhibitions, whereas a hallway is generally not a destination but a route to other rooms or spaces.
Galleries can include various forms, like art galleries or shopping galleries, each with a purpose beyond passage. Hallways, however, maintain a singular purpose of connection, being integral yet unobtrusive elements in architectural design.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Display of art or exhibits
Passageway between rooms
Design
Open spaces with curated lighting
Narrow, practical passages
Functionality
Focused on exhibitions
Functional connection
Attraction
Destination for visitors
Route to other spaces
Specialized
Often curated for artistic purposes
Designed for convenience
Compare with Definitions
Gallery
A space where art or other exhibits are displayed.
The gallery featured an extensive collection of contemporary paintings.
Hallway
A passageway often lined with doors leading to separate rooms.
The children ran up and down the long hallway.
Gallery
A long room or corridor used for particular purposes.
The old mansion's gallery was adorned with ancestral portraits.
Hallway
An interior space providing a path within a structure.
The entrance hallway welcomed guests into the living room.
Gallery
An upper balcony in a theater or church.
They viewed the performance from the upper gallery.
Hallway
A place that offers access to different areas of a building.
The narrow hallway was crowded during the lunch break.
Gallery
A covered passage, often with shops or businesses.
The shopping gallery housed a variety of boutique stores.
Hallway
A shared or communal corridor in apartments or offices.
He stepped out into the hallway to check his mailbox.
Gallery
A place to observe proceedings, such as a legislative session.
Journalists reported from the press gallery above the chamber.
Hallway
A corridor connecting rooms in a building.
The hallway led to the kitchen and bedrooms.
Gallery
A room or building for the display or sale of works of art
The National Gallery
An art gallery
Hallway
Another term for hall (sense 1 of the noun)
Gallery
A balcony or upper floor projecting from an interior back or side wall of a hall or church, providing space for an audience or musicians
In the minstrels' gallery, a string orchestra plays themes from film soundtracks
Hallway
A corridor in a building.
Gallery
A long room or passage, typically one that is partly open at the side to form a portico or colonnade.
Hallway
An entrance hall.
Gallery
A roofed promenade, especially one extending along the wall of a building and supported by arches or columns on the outer side.
Hallway
A corridor in a building that connects rooms.
Gallery
A long enclosed passage, such as a hallway or corridor.
Hallway
An interior passage or corridor in a building, onto which rooms open.
Gallery
A narrow balcony, usually having a railing or balustrade, along the outside of a building.
Hallway
An interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open;
The elevators were at the end of the hall
Gallery
A projecting or recessed passageway along an upper story on the interior or exterior of a large building, generally marked by a colonnade or arcade.
Gallery
Such a passageway situated over the aisle of a church and opening onto the nave. Also called tribune2.
Gallery
Southwestern Gulf States See veranda.
Gallery
An upper section, often with a sloping floor, projecting from the rear or side walls of a theater or an auditorium to provide additional seating.
Gallery
The seats in such a section, usually cheaper than those on the main floor.
Gallery
The cheapest seats in a theater, generally those of the uppermost gallery.
Gallery
The audience occupying a gallery or cheap section of a theater.
Gallery
A large audience or group of spectators, as at a tennis or golf match.
Gallery
The general public, usually considered as exemplifying a lack of discrimination or sophistication
Accused the administration of playing to the gallery on the defense issue.
Gallery
A building, room, or website for the exhibition of artistic work.
Gallery
An establishment that displays and sells works of art.
Gallery
A photographer's studio.
Gallery
A collection; an assortment
The trial featured a gallery of famous and flamboyant witnesses.
Gallery
An underground tunnel or passageway, as in a cave or one dug for military or mining purposes.
Gallery
A tunnel or series of tunnels made by an animal.
Gallery
(Nautical) A platform or balcony at the stern or quarters of some early sailing ships.
Gallery
A decorative upright trimming or molding along the edge of a table top, tray, or shelf.
Gallery
An institution, building, or room for the exhibition and conservation of works of art.
Gallery
An establishment that buys, sells, and displays works of art.
Gallery
The uppermost seating area projecting from the rear or side walls of a theater, concert hall, or auditorium.
Gallery
The spectators of an event, collectively.
Gallery
(legal) The, often elevated and in the rear, part of a courtroom where seating for the public audience is facilitated during trial.
Gallery
A roofed promenade, especially one extending along the wall of a building and supported by arches or columns on the outer side
Gallery
(computing) A browsable collection of images, font styles, etc.
A gallery of image thumbnails
A clip-art gallery in a wordprocessor
Gallery
(fortification) A covered passage cut through the earth or masonry.
Gallery
(mining) A level or drive in a mine.
Gallery
(automotive) A channel that carries engine oil to parts of the engine that need lubrication, such as the main bearings.
Gallery
(television) The production control room.
Gallery
A part of a monocle, a projection off the ring holding the lens, which helps secure the monocle in the eye socket.
Gallery
(entomology) The boring trails produced by an insector only beetles? in wood.
Beetle gallery
Gallery
(Trinidad and Tobago) To show off.
Gallery
A long and narrow corridor, or place for walking; a connecting passageway, as between one room and another; also, a long hole or passage excavated by a boring or burrowing animal.
Gallery
A room for the exhibition of works of art; as, a picture gallery; hence, also, a large or important collection of paintings, sculptures, etc.
Gallery
A long and narrow platform attached to one or more sides of public hall or the interior of a church, and supported by brackets or columns; - sometimes intended to be occupied by musicians or spectators, sometimes designed merely to increase the capacity of the hall.
Gallery
A frame, like a balcony, projecting from the stern or quarter of a ship, and hence called stern gallery or quarter gallery, - seldom found in vessels built since 1850.
Gallery
Any communication which is covered overhead as well as at the sides. When prepared for defense, it is a defensive gallery.
Gallery
A working drift or level.
Gallery
Spectators at a golf or tennis match
Gallery
A porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
Gallery
A room or series of rooms where works of art are exhibited
Gallery
A long usually narrow room used for some specific purpose;
Shooting gallery
Gallery
A covered corridor (especially one extending along the wall of a building and supported with arches or columns)
Gallery
Narrow recessed balcony area along an upper floor on the interior of a building; usually marked by a colonnade
Gallery
A horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine;
They dug a drift parallel with the vein
Common Curiosities
Are gallery and hallway the same type of space?
No, a gallery is a display area, whereas a hallway is a connecting passageway.
Are galleries and hallways used differently?
Yes, galleries attract visitors for exhibitions, while hallways are primarily for movement.
Are galleries only for art displays?
Not exclusively; some galleries include shops, or are used in theaters and public buildings.
Do hallways require special lighting like galleries?
No, hallways generally have simple lighting, unlike galleries which often require special lighting.
Are hallways more common than galleries in buildings?
Yes, most buildings have hallways, but galleries are specialized.
Can a hallway be decorated like a gallery?
Yes, hallways can have artwork or decor, though they generally lack the same emphasis on curation.
Do galleries and hallways differ in design?
Yes, galleries are open and curated, while hallways are narrow and functional.
Can galleries be multi-functional?
Yes, galleries can sometimes serve as event spaces or retail venues.
Can a gallery function as a hallway?
Galleries can sometimes act as passageways, but their primary purpose is displaying art or exhibits.
Is a gallery usually wider than a hallway?
Typically, galleries are broader, allowing more room for viewing exhibits.
Do hallways usually lead to galleries in museums?
Yes, hallways or lobbies often connect to various gallery spaces.
Do galleries have specific architectural requirements?
Yes, galleries often require high ceilings, controlled lighting, and security.
Is the term gallery used outside art spaces?
Yes, the term also applies to balconies, observatories, and covered shopping areas.
Can hallways be considered part of a building's aesthetic?
Yes, hallways contribute to the interior design and flow of a building.
Are galleries considered more formal spaces than hallways?
Generally, galleries have a formal atmosphere due to their curated exhibits.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
