History

Explore the history of the National Gallery – from the origins of the collection to the present day

History of the collection

From the first painting to today's world-class collection

Read about the largest ever donation of works of art to the National Gallery

Directors of the Gallery past and present

Find out more about the building and its history

The National Gallery originally opened in 1824 in a Pall Mall townhouse with just 38 paintings. Today's collection contains over 2,300 works

How three aristocrats revolutionised art collecting in the UK

Bombs, buns and Beethoven – how the Gallery survived the war

List of works with incomplete provenance from 1933–1945

Explore the lives of key figures behind the collection

Explore issues related to the history of the Gallery and similar institutions

The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN