National Gallery

The Gallery opened on April 9, 1839, but its founding date is considered to be May 1824, when the collection of 38 works by Angerstein was acquired. These works became the core of the future museum. Over the years, the collection was regularly enriched thanks to patrons and the government. For the first seven years, it was exhibited in a house on Pall Mall Street. In 1831, with 105 canvases already in its collection, it was decided to build a separate building for the museum. Seven years later, the museum moved to Trafalgar Square - into a two-story neoclassical palace with a colonnade at the main entrance. In 1856, the historical portraits stored in the National Gallery were transferred to the newly opened National Portrait Gallery. As the collection continually expanded, the space soon extended by an additional five new rooms. By the end of the 19th century, works of contemporary British art collected by the museum were transferred to Tate Britain. Currently, the London National Gallery's collection includes more than 2,600 paintings. Among them are one of the most comprehensive collections of Italian Renaissance masters outside Italy, masterpieces by Spanish, Flemish, Dutch, French, and British painters from the 15th to the 19th centuries, as well as a collection of works by Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

The gallery houses works by great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Jan van Eyck, Diego Velázquez, William Turner, Giovanni Bellini, Titian, Rembrandt, Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth, Francisco Goya, John Constable, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and other geniuses of painting.

The collected artworks span from 1280 to the early 20th century. Adhering to a strictly followed principle, all canvases are displayed in chronological sequence. This allows visitors to track changes in the main trends of painting over several centuries.

The museum features 66 rooms. To navigate them freely, it's best to have a map on hand. You can buy one on-site, download it in advance from the museum's website, or use it online. The official gallery website lists 30 paintings that, according to experts, are a must-see. Next to each painting in the list, the room number where it is located is indicated. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum organizes temporary thematic exhibitions, as well as educational seminars, drawing masterclasses, and live music concerts. For self-guided tours of the National Gallery, audio guides are available for rent. Information is provided in 12 languages. Interesting tours in mp3 format are available on the museum's website. Here, paid and free tours are also regularly conducted, with schedules easily found on the official portal. For museum guests, an excellent lounge area is organized, featuring an espresso bar and café, as well as a restaurant with a luxurious interior. Souvenir enthusiasts will appreciate the wide assortment of the shop located at the gallery entrance.