London’s National Gallery: A Journey Through the Halls of Elegance
Are you a lover of old or modern masterpieces of art? Do you want to explore the stories behind the impressive paintings? Does contemporary sculpture attract you? The National Gallery in London offers a unique opportunity to fulfill your artistic desires all in one place. The National Gallery in London is one of the biggest art galleries in the world.
Introduction
The National Gallery of London is an art museum that is famous for one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world. It houses more than 150,000 masterpieces of human creativity. This collection comprises more than 2600 European and American paintings spanning from the 13th century to the 20th century. A wide and diverse variety of sculptures, decorative art, photographs, prints, and drawings is also on show in the gallery.
History
In April 1824, the House of Common formed the core of a national gallery by purchasing the picture collection of 38 pictures from a banker Julius Angerstein for $57,000. These pictures were displayed for the enjoyment and education of people at Angerstein’s House at 100 Pall Mall. The size of the building — Angerstein’s House was not comparable to other art galleries in London, so in 1831, parliament agreed to construct a new building for the National Gallery.
The gallery’s location was chosen to ensure accessibility to people of all social classes. Hereby, Trafalgar Square was considered the best site for the building as it was the very center of London. Afterward, the new building was opened to the public in 1838.
Objectives
Formed as a gift to the nation, the gallery aims to serve as a center of virtual art, education, and culture.
The primary objective is to care for and preserve the collection for future generations. The secondary objective is to make the artworks accessible to the public for educational and recreational purposes.
Noteworthy Features
What are the good points about the gallery which make it worth visiting?
The gallery is for all
The central and accessible site makes the rich driving from the west and the poor on foot from the east reach easily. People all around England can also make frequent and occasional visits to the gallery. People from all over the world can also see the collections through publications and multimedia. Every age group people from children to adults and from pensioners to the disabled is also welcomed by the gallery.
The gallery is free
Entrance to the gallery is free for everyone. You just book a ticket and enjoy your visit for free.
A free guided tour for visitors
You can experience a 60-minute daily guided tour of the collections in Central Hall from Tuesday to Thursday from 3–4 pm.
The gallery is well-organized
There are different rooms for the different kinds of artworks with a detailed explanation of the work below it.
Commitment towards education
The gallery has been committed to serving the public through its vibrant education programs since its beginning. These programs include free public lectures, seminars, creative sessions, and workshops.
Salient features
The defining elements that distinguish the National Gallery from its adversaries other than its beauty, majesty, and great collection are different exhibitions, virtual tours, learning programs, and a Souvenir shop.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions are arranged regularly throughout the year. Each exhibition explores the life and work of a single artist. All the details about the recent and upcoming exhibitions like location, timing, and ticket price are provided to the people before their execution.
Virtual tours
The National Gallery offers virtual tours that allow people from around the world to explore its collections from the comfort of their homes through a dedicated online platform
Virtual sessions enable people from around the world to step inside the gallery and explore one of the greatest collections of paintings from their homes. You can experience a virtual view of the gallery through your phone or desktop.
Learning programs
The National Gallery offers learning programs for children, adults, and families. You can work with these programs not only in the gallery but also online in schools or any other location.
Different tours, workshops, and storytelling activities help develop children's creativity and confidence.
Live talk workshops and national articulation programs help young students prepare for exams.
Creative sessions are organized in Central Hall for the families. These free creative sessions like decoding pictures, shared storytelling, and down together help the families explore the paintings with the performers and musicians present in the Hall.
Souvenir shop
There is a Souvenir shop on the premises of the National Gallery. You can make your visit memorable by shopping for your favorite items displayed here. Following are a few of them.
· Prints and posters.
You can choose the most popular paintings in the National Gallery collection and customize your masterpiece. The highest quality posters and mini prints are delivered straight to your door.
· Christmas accessories
Christmas cards, decorations, and other gifts are also available in the shop.
· Gallery gifts
You can get artful gifts for your family and friends which you would not find anywhere else. It can be greeting cards, souvenirs, and gift vouchers.
· Books
You can develop a better understanding of art by buying books about paintings, artists, and art and craft techniques. Learning books for children, gallery guides, exhibition catalogs, and academic publications are also available.
· Home Accessories
If you want to buy some noteworthy elements for your home, here are some artistic articles for you in the gallery shop. Home accessories ranging from tableware to lampshades, deck chairs to cushions, and a wide variety of collectibles are available to add to your taste. You can also buy games and puzzles for your family.
· Fashion accessories
Jewelry, apparel, bags, totes, scarves, and other fashion accessories are there to give you a gorgeous look.
· Stationery
You can buy stationery items like calendars, diaries, cards, sketchbooks, notebooks, and other materials and supplies with special images painted or printed on them.
· Children gifts
You can buy toys, games, and crafts to inspire your child in a fun way. Different story and activity books to enhance your child’s understanding of art are also available.
Shortcomings
What are the blind points of the gallery?”For a guided tour of the entire gallery, a fee of $25 per 2 hours applies, which some visitors might find costly. Secondly, the prices of the gifts at the Souvenir shop are quite high. Thirdly, there is a Café where people can sit, chat or read but the charges for it are also high. Controversies are also there about some pictures housed in the gallery but not yet proven.
Conclusion
The National Gallery is worth seeing. The National Gallery is a must-visit for art enthusiasts and novices alike, offering an iconic collection that spans the gamut of art history. From Titian to Turner and Van Dyck to Van Gogh, it showcases the ‘who’s who’ of art icons, making it an iconic destination.
Plan to visit.
If you plan to visit, the following information may help you.
Location: It is located at Trafalgar Square in the city of Westminster in Central London.
Visiting days: It is open 361 days a year. It is closed on 24th-26th December and on 1st January.
Timings: It is open from 10.0am to 06.00 pm daily and 10.00 am to 09.00pm on Fridays.