The National Gallery

The National Gallery is an art gallery located in Trafalgar Square, City of Westminster, Central London, England. It was founded in 1824 and has been located in Trafalgar Square since 1838, housing a collection of nearly 2,300 artworks from from the mid-13th century to 1900. Gabriele Finaldi is the current Director of the National Gallery. The National Gallery is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport and an exempt charity. Its collection is owned by the government on behalf of the British people, and admission to the main collection is free.

The National Gallery, unlike analogous museums in continental Europe, was not founded by nationalizing an existing royal or princely art collection. In 1824, the British government purchased 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein. Following that original purchase, the Gallery was primarily formed by its early directors, particularly Charles Lock Eastlake, and by individual contributions, which today account for two-thirds of the collection. The collection is smaller than that of many European national galleries, but it is encyclopedic in breadth; notable works from most key trends in Western painting "from Giotto to Cézanne" are included. It used to be claimed that this was one of the few national galleries that had all its works on permanent exhibition, but this is no longer the case.

The National Gallery houses a large collection of artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Vincent van Gogh. The Gallery is simple to visit, free to the public, and offers an educational museum tour, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious visitors. Furthermore, the Gallery is located in the center of London, making it convenient to visit whether you live in the city or are simply traveling through.

Location: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London WC2N 5DN, United Kingdom

Website: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk