National Gallery, London

The National Gallery houses almost three thousand paintings dating back to the mid-13th century and up to the early 20th century. 

Here, you can find paintings created by various European artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Sandro Botticelli, J. M. W. Turner, Rembrandt, and Vincent van Gogh. The collection of the National Gallery is considered the richest in the world when it comes to European works, although it is smaller than other art museums’ collections. A great example is the paintings of the Italian Renaissance, the collection of which is unexcelled outside of Italy. Likewise, the collection of Impressionist paintings in the gallery is not the biggest, yet still very eminent. Within the museum, there are also paintings by Dutch, British, Spanish, and Flemish artists. 

The art museum itself is situated north of Trafalgar Square. The government wanted to place it in the center of London, which is why this location was chosen. In the 1830s, rich citizens who lived in western London were coming to Trafalgar Square to visit the gallery, while the poor folk came from the East End. The goal was to create an art museum that would be accessible to all citizens, regardless of their class. Entry to the gallery was always free. 

Moreover, to ensure everyone could view the collections, the opening hours were extended. Unlike other art museums in Europe that were opened only after the nationalization of royal collections, the National Gallery began its journey in 1824, when the British government purchased a private collection of 38 paintings for £57,000 from a certain broker John Julius Angerstein. And that is how one of the world's greatest art collections came to life. The British sovereign possesses the British Royal Collection to this day, which is why private donations were received to expand the National Gallery’s collection. Two years later, in 1826, another art collection was offered by the painter Sir George Beaumont. 

However, he made this offer contingent upon the government would find a suitable venue for displaying his paintings. Thus, the Angerstein and Beaumont collections were exhibited together at 100 Pall Mall in Angerstein's former townhouse. Despite the fact that the venue for displaying the paintings was found, it was rather uncapacious. This problem was solved in 1838 when a brand-new neo-classical building was constructed north of Trafalgar Square. The architecture of the National Gallery became quite extraordinary. The main feature of the new building was the neoclassical style designed by a Greek architect William Wilkins, who implemented parts of the older Mews in his design. The columns on the west and east porches are rumored to have come from the neighboring Carlton House demolished in 1828. 

The space of the Trafalgar Square was shared by the Royal Academy of the Arts up until the latter was relocated to Piccadilly. Also, created by Venturi Brown Scott, the Sainsbury Wing extension combines English Classicism, modernism, and modern construction and is a well-known exquisite art piece. The facade of the building designed by W. Wilkins remains intact to this day. However, other parts of the National Gallery’s structure have undergone changes multiple times due to the expansion of art collections that needed more space. Today, the Gallery is 46,000 square meters long, which matches the size of 6 football fields. At the time, the National Gallery did not have an official acquisition policy. Instead, Trustees purchased all artworks in their personal interests. However, in 1855, this routine changed, as the National Gallery started collecting early Italian art. Following that, in 1871, the Gallery managed to acquire 77 works, the majority of which were Dutch and Flemish. The real stroke of luck happened when JMW Turner decided to hand over more than 1000 of his paintings, watercolors, and sketches to the Gallery. The size of this collection was so enormous that initially, it had to be exhibited in different places until more space was created within the Gallery. Due to such display of British art outside Trafalgar Square, another venue named the Tate Gallery was eventually created specifically for demonstrating British artwork. 

Despite the fact that the National Gallery houses countless British paintings, including those created by Turner, Gainsborough, Constable, etc., the best British artworks out there are now put on display at the Tate as well as the National Portrait Gallery. The most popular painting of all displayed in the National Gallery is Sunflowers by Van Gogh, which can be found in room 43. Van Gogh created this painting in Arles (southern France) in the summer of 1888 while he was waiting for a visit from his dear friend and painter Paul Gauguin. Nowadays, Sunflowers is one of his most famous and recognizable works; it is often recreated in postcards and other souvenirs. It is important to note that paintings are not the only form of art exhibited in the National Gallery. There are also several glorious statues of Greek heroes, Roman rulers, and other legendary figures. 

Moreover, you might be really surprised to find a statue of George Washington, the 1st President of the United States. In 1921, this statue was gifted to the National Gallery by the Commonwealth of Virginia. After exploring the art collections inside the Gallery, visitors are given the opportunity to relax and have some tea at The National Cafe. The National Dining Rooms located in the Sainsbury Wing also allow you to have a quick snack. 

In addition, you can find various souvenir shops in the area, where you can buy high-quality prints, art books, postcards, and other keepsakes. In case you want to take maximum advantage of your visit, there is the National Gallery podcast available for you to download. By listening to this podcast, you will learn more about the paintings exhibited at the National Gallery. Moreover, to fully admire the paintings and still have some time to explore Trafalgar Square, it is recommended to allocate the first half of the day for the trip. While in Trafalgar Square, you should definitely take a photograph of Nelson’s Column; this renowned landmark is located right in the middle of the Square.