Buying, Collecting and Display: History of the Collection

Ongoing research into the history of the collection, the building, Directors, the Gallery's benefactors and other key figures in the Gallery’s history is presented through talks, conferences, study days and publications as well as the following online materials:

Collection history

The history of the National Gallery from its first-ever painting to today's world-class collection of paintings in the Western European tradition. See how the Gallery expanded its collection of Dutch, Italian and British painting including Turner

The Gallery in wartime

Learn how the National Gallery survived during the Second World War.

The Eastlake travel diaries

This research project will publish the entire travel diaries of the Gallery's first Director, Charles Eastlake.