London - Part Two. Museums and Galleries

MUSEUMS and GALLERIES

As it is known London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, everyone can enjoy visiting impressive museums and galleries of the city for free of charge.
London hosts an outstanding collection of world-class museums. Even better, it is the only one of the traditional "alpha world cities" (London, New York City, Paris and Tokyo) in which the majority of the museums have no entrance charges, thus allowing visitors to make multiple visits with ease. Following the removal of admission charges in the beginning of the 21st century, attendances at London museums increased, with a large percentage of the 42 million annual visitors nationwide. There are over 240 museums in London, but in this post we will speak only about my favorite ones:

The main entrance of London's National Gallery

National Gallery:  Just at the end of Trafalgar Square, you can visit the National Gallery. This is a world famous art gallery. It was founded in 1824 and its collection of painting range from the middle of the 13th Century to 1900. The National Gallery Collection contains over 2,300 works, including many famous works, such as “The Virgin of Rocks” by Leonardo Da Vinci, van Eyck’s Arnolifini Portrait, Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, Turner’s Fighting Temeraire and Van Gogh's Sunflowers. 

I found very convenient that paintings are divided by style in separate rooms. So if you find for example someone from impressionists be sure that all others are on the same or neighboring walls. 

Van Gogh's Sunflowers 

As it was mentioned above there is no entrance fee in the gallery. And the reason for it is very impressive for me: they say that these pictures belongs to the public and therefore entrance to see them is free. Unlike comparable art museums in continental Europe, the National Gallery was not formed by nationalizing an existing royal or princely art collection. It came into being when the British government bought 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein, an insurance broker and patron of the arts, in 1824. After that initial purchase the Gallery was shaped mainly by its early directors and by private donations, which comprise two thirds of the collection.

The British Museum: The British Museum is  widely considered to be one of the world's greatest museums of human history and culture. It houses more than thirteen million items originating from all continents of the world. It attracts over four million visitors a year. It was established in 1753 and was largely based on collections of the physician and scientist, Sir Hans Sloane. Currently, it has a vast amount of art and culture from all over the world. 
Remember: You have not been to London if you have not visited the British Museum. You can see entire world in one building for free - there is no entrance fee.
The museum includes departments of ancient Egypt and Sudan; Greece and Rome; the Middle East; Prints and Drawings; Prehistory and Europe; Asia; Africa, Oceania and the Americas; Coins and Medals; Conservation and Scientific Research. There are also libraries and archives.
Remember that the British Museum is very big; so, it might take whole day or several days to visit all departments listed above.    

National Portrait Gallery: The gallery houses portraits of historically important and famous British people, selected on the basis of the significance of the sitter, not that of the artist. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856. The gallery moved in 1896 to its current site at St Martin's Place, off Trafalgar Square, and adjoining the National Gallery. It has been expanded twice since then. The National Portrait Gallery also has three regional outposts at Beningbrough Hall, Bodelwyddan Castle and Montacute House.

The collection includes photographs and caricatures as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture. One of its best-known images is the Chandos portrait, the most famous portrait of William Shakespearealthough there is some uncertainty about whether the painting actually is of the playwright.

The building of Tate Modern. View from Millenium Bridge

Tate Modern:   Tate Modern is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St. Ives and Tate Online). It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year. It is based in the former Bankside Power Station, in the Bankside area of Central London. You can gat Tate Modern bu Millenium Bridge, just crossing the road in front of St. Pauls Cathedral. The collections in Tate Modern consist of works of international modern and contemporary art dating from 1900 until today.

The Tate Collection is on display on levels three and five of the building, while level four houses large temporary exhibitions and a small exhibition space on level two houses work by contemporary artists.

Entrance is free, but you may be charged for special exhibitions.

The Victoria and Albert Museum: 

The Victoria and Albert Museum, is the worlds greatest museum of art and design and is home to over 4.5 million objects. It was founded in 1852, and was originally known as the South Kensington Museum. Now, the V&A museum covers more than 12.5 acres and has 145 galleries, they aren’t all open at the same time. It contains 5000 years of art from all cultures, from all over the world, including photography, sculptures, art and textiles. 

Remember: you can visit V&A museum for free.