The gallery, which opened in 1974, is located in a building which was originally built as a fruit and vegetable market in 1938.
 In 1994, the building was renovated by Richard Murphy Architects to assume its current form.
It has a café and a bookshop which stocks art, architecture, design and photography books and magazines, along with a range of books for children.

In 2011 the gallery was involved in commissioning The Scotsman Steps.
These 104 steps which link Waverley Station to North Bridge were opened in 1899.
They were redesigned by Martin Creed (Work No.1059) to incorporate a different type of marble for each step in 2011.

In 2018 the gallery announced that it was to be revamped by architects Reiach and Hall as part of a £3.6 million capital development, with a new extension to a nearby former fruit and vegetable warehouse which was later used as Electric Circus nightclub.
This second attempt at building improvement will cost an estimated £3.7m and it is scheduled to open in 2020.
Funders of the refurbishment include the governmental body Creative Scotland, which contributed £1.4 million.
The gallery, which opened in 1974, is located in a building which was originally built as a fruit and vegetable market in 1938.  In 1994, the building was renovated by Richard Murphy Architects to assume its current form. It has a café and a bookshop which stocks art, architecture, design and photography books and magazines, along with a range of books for children.
In 2011 the gallery was involved in commissioning The Scotsman Steps. These 104 steps which link Waverley Station to North Bridge were opened in 1899. They were redesigned by Martin Creed (Work No.1059) to incorporate a different type of marble for each step in 2011.
In 2018 the gallery announced that it was to be revamped by architects Reiach and Hall as part of a £3.6 million capital development, with a new extension to a nearby former fruit and vegetable warehouse which was later used as Electric Circus nightclub. This second attempt at building improvement will cost an estimated £3.7m and it is scheduled to open in 2020. Funders of the refurbishment include the governmental body Creative Scotland, which contributed £1.4 million.
Fruitmarket Gallery