Board of Trustees' papers

These files relate to the policy, strategy and overall management of the National Gallery and its Collection, as discussed at the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The papers include agendas, financial statements, Director's Reports, Keeper's Reports, correspondence, loan requests, corporate plans, external and internal reports, memoranda and policy documents. Key papers for each meeting are listed at file level. However, the list is not comprehensive and does not include documents which regularly appear in the Board papers.

Trustees' papers have been maintained as part of the record of the meetings of the Board of Trustees since the National Gallery was established in 1824. Some papers were copied into the main Trustees' minutes book, and included correspondence to the National Gallery Trustees or Director, memoranda and reports (archive reference NG1). Trustees' papers were also filed in the series of correspondence to the National Gallery, 1824-1876 (archive reference NG5). From 1877, papers for each meeting of the Board of Trustees were collated and filed in a series of labelled envelopes (archive reference NG7). From 1925 a more systematic filing of Trustees' papers was introduced. Papers for each meeting were collated, numbered and filed in a separate series (archive reference NG25).

The Board of Trustees' papers are transferred to the Archive from the Director's Office immediately prior to each Board meeting.

See also NG1 Board minutes; NG5 letters to the Board; and NG7 letters to the Board.