This art museum is located right on Trafalgar Square, one of the places where London's heartbeat is the loudest. The facility has been around since 1824, and it has 2,300 paintings that date from the 1200s to 1900. In other words, they don't have to add newly created works constantly.
The English government went into the business of art collecting about 200 years ago, and its level of activity grew over the years. After buying some works and being gifted with others, it was decided a building was needed to house them. A museum opened in 1824 for that purpose, but it ran out of space and a bigger facility was needed. That one was completed in 1838. It still stands today, although there have been many changes and additions over the years.
Around 1900, some rich British families had to sell their artwork during an agriculture crisis. However, members of the American upper class bought up many of those works. A fund was soon established to keep the pieces on home shores. When World War II came along, everything was shipped out of London. There had been talk about moving the artwork to safe keeping in Canada, but Winston Churchill insisted that these historic paintings not leave the Motherland. When the war ended, the National Gallery was back in business. It still is today.
As for the price, it's free. Can't beat that.
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