The National Gallery

Located on London’s iconic Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to more than 2300 paintings. Compared to similar European galleries, this is actually quite modest! But while this might not be the biggest collection in the world, it’s certainly one of the best.

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Boasting masterpieces from across the history of Western European art, the gallery showcases pretty much every major tradition, taking us from the 13th century all the way to the 20th. Highlights include Jan van Eyck’s “Arnolfini Portrait”, Caravaggio’s “Supper at Emmaus”, and van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” – but that’s just scratching the surface!

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In the 21st century, the gallery has largely been priced out of bidding for new pieces. But occasionally, it will launch a public fundraising campaign to help bring in a particularly strong work – such as Raphael’s “Madonna of the Pinks”, purchased for a whopping £34.88 million!