National Gallery, Art museum in the City of Westminster, London, England
The National Gallery is a museum for European painting in the City of Westminster, housed in a Georgian-era building at Trafalgar Square. The collections occupy several wings and are arranged by period, with each room devoted to a particular school or century.
The museum came into being in 1824 after the British government acquired a private painting collection to establish a public gallery. Over the following decades, the holdings grew through donations and purchases, until the present building at Trafalgar Square was erected in the 1830s.
The gallery's name is displayed across the frieze of William Wilkins's 1838 portico, and two red banners hang between the columns, one reading "ADMISSION FREE". Entry to the main collection has been free since the gallery was founded for the British public in 1824.
The main entrance sits on the north side of Trafalgar Square and is reached by a wide flight of steps. On Fridays the doors remain open until late evening, while closing occurs earlier on other weekdays.
During the Second World War, every painting left London and was kept in several locations across Wales, including a castle in North Wales. Only a single picture remained behind and changed each month, so that visitors could still see art.
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