It was founded in 1824 with just 38 paintings bought by the state, and since 1838 has occupied William Wilkins's columned building on Trafalgar Square. Today it holds some 2,300 works, from 13th-century Italian painting to the Impressionists, and entry has always been free.
Must-sees: Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks, Velázquez's Rokeby Venus, Turner's Fighting Temeraire and Van Gogh's Sunflowers. The Sainsbury Wing, with the earliest paintings, reopened in 2025 with a new entrance.
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About this listing
Checked on November 5, 2026.
Sources: Wikidata · OpenStreetMap · Google Maps (Place ID) · National Gallery