The National Gallery

What to expect

The National Gallery began in 1824, when the government bought 38 paintings from a banker's heirs, and moved to its Trafalgar Square home in 1838. William Wilkins designed the neoclassical building, and the Sainsbury Wing, a postmodern extension from 1991, holds the Renaissance rooms. The collection covers more than 2,300 Western European paintings from the 13th century to 1900.

It is large, but the layout is easy: galleries run in a long line from the front door, grouped by period, with the Renaissance paintings in the Sainsbury Wing. Entry to the main collection is free, so you can come for an hour rather than a full day. Works such as Holbein's The Ambassadors and Velázquez's Rokeby Venus draw the crowds, while the quieter side rooms often feel almost private.

Don't miss

• Holbein's The Ambassadors
• Velázquez's Rokeby Venus
• Leonardo's cartoon of the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne
• Uccello's The Battle of San Romano
• The Renaissance rooms in the Sainsbury Wing

Tips for your visit

• Pick two or three rooms or artists you care about rather than trying to see everything.
• Go on a weekday morning or late afternoon for calmer rooms.
• The entrance faces Trafalgar Square, so combine it with a walk to Covent Garden or St James's Park.
• Most visitors spend about one to two hours here.