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National Gallery of Art

North America · United States

National Gallery of Art

📍 Washington, D.C., United States · Founded 1937

Along the National Mall, this free museum holds the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas, as well as great works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Monet, Cole and many American artists. It is made up of an old marble building and a modern East Building joined by a tunnel with a moving walkway.

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History of the museum

The National Gallery was founded by an act of Congress in 1937 after the banker and Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon offered his great art collection and money for a building to the American people. The neoclassical West Building opened in 1941. Mellon wanted a national collection that was not controlled by the government of the day, and he asked that the museum not carry his name. The East Building, designed by I. M. Pei, opened in 1978. Entry is free.

Top pieces

In our gallery from here (37)

A Young Girl Reading A Young Girl ReadingJean-Honoré Fragonard · 1770 Portrait of a Lady Portrait of a LadyRogier van der Weyden · 1460 Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her SonClaude Monet · 1875 The Railway The RailwayÉdouard Manet · 1873 The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the TuileriesJacques-Louis David · 1812 Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl Symphony in White, No. 1: The White GirlJames McNeill Whistler · 1860 The Old Musician The Old MusicianÉdouard Manet · 1862 Annunciation AnnunciationJan van Eyck · 1435 The Plum The PlumÉdouard Manet · 1878 La Mousmé La MousméVincent van Gogh · 1888 Bulb Fields Bulb FieldsVincent van Gogh · 1883 Adoration of the Shepherds Adoration of the ShepherdsGiorgione · 1507 The Open Window The Open WindowHenri Matisse · 1905 Farmhouse in Provence Farmhouse in ProvenceVincent van Gogh · 1888 Girl in White Girl in WhiteVincent van Gogh · 1890 Fatata te Miti Fatata te MitiPaul Gauguin · 1892 A Girl with a Watering Can A Girl with a Watering CanPierre-Auguste Renoir · 1876 Little Girl in a Blue Armchair Little Girl in a Blue ArmchairMary Cassatt · 1878 Nativity NativityPetrus Christus · 1450 Madonna and Child with a Pomegranate Madonna and Child with a PomegranateLorenzo di Credi · 1477 Masked Ball at the Opera Masked Ball at the OperaÉdouard Manet · 1873 The Washington Family The Washington FamilyEdward Savage · 1796 The Dead Toreador The Dead ToreadorÉdouard Manet · 1864 Le Pont Neuf Le Pont NeufPierre-Auguste Renoir · 1872 Lady Caroline Howard Lady Caroline HowardJoshua Reynolds · 1778 Wivenhoe Park Wivenhoe ParkJohn Constable · 1816 Girl Arranging Her Hair Girl Arranging Her HairMary Cassatt · 1886 Still Life: Vase with Pink Roses Still Life: Vase with Pink RosesVincent van Gogh · 1890 The Boating Party The Boating PartyMary Cassatt · 1893 Boy on the Rocks Boy on the RocksHenri Rousseau · 1897 Allegory of Virtue and Vice Allegory of Virtue and ViceLorenzo Lotto · 1505 Nativity NativityLorenzo Lotto · 1523 Tobias and the Angel Tobias and the AngelFilippino Lippi · 1475 Galitzin Triptych Galitzin TriptychPietro Perugino · 1481 Visitation VisitationPiero di Cosimo · 1490 Christ at the Sea of Galilee Christ at the Sea of GalileeUnknown artist · 1570 The Skater The SkaterGilbert Stuart · 1782

Other museums nearby

The Walters Art MuseumBaltimorePhiladelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphiaBarnes FoundationPhiladelphiaMuseum of Modern Art (MoMA)New York CityThe Frick CollectionNew York CityThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York City