Established in 1824, the art gallery holds an enormous art collection of over 2.600 pieces - no wonder it is one of the most visited galleries in the world.
The gallery is housed in a neoclassical building built in 1838, which was expanded in the following years. The last addition to the museum, the Sainsbury Wing (and the current main entrance), was finished in 1991 and designed by the postmodernist architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.
The collection contains European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The highlights include paintings by El Greco, Jan van Eyck, Rembrandt, Rubens, Michelangelo, and many more famous artists.
The whole complex is rather large so be sure to get a free map (they are available in various languages) in the foyer of the museum. You can also get an audio guide for a small fee. The entry is free, so art lovers should allow themselves plenty of time for their visit.
