Why go
In 1897 the formation of the National Gallery of British Art, known unofficially from early in its history as the Tate Gallery, allowed some British works to be moved off-site, following the precedent set by the Vernon collection and the Turner Bequest.
What to look for
- The collection opened in Britain's first purpose-built public gallery, the Dulwich Picture Gallery, in 1814.
- Both Titians were bought in tandem with the National Gallery of Scotland for £95 m.
- In 2014, the National Gallery was the subject of a documentary film by Frederick Wiseman.
The full story
Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge. After that initial purchase the Gallery was shaped mainly by its early directors, notably Sir Charles Lock Eastlake, and by private donations, which comprise two-thirds of the collection. The resulting collection is small in size, compared with many European national galleries, but encyclopaedic in scope; most major developments in Western painting "from Giotto to Cézanne" are represented with important works. The present building, the third to house the National Gallery, was designed by William Wilkins from 1832 to 1838.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Indoor visit · 60–120 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.