The National Gallery is London's internationally renowned art gallery. Located on the north side of Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery houses Western European paintings from 1250 to 1900 from the national art collection of Great Britain. The collection of paintings actually belongs to the British public, and entry to the National Gallery main collection is free as many paintings have been donated in the past on the proviso that there is no charge for entry, although there are charges for entry to special exhibitions. Despite having been founded without an existing royal collection on which to build and housed in buildings often deemed inadequate for their purpose, the National Gallery has grown to be a collection of international renown since its foundation in 1824. It was shaped mainly by its early directors, including Sir Charles Lock Eastlake, and by private donations, which comprise two thirds of the collection. The National Gallery collection while small in comparison with other national collections such as the Louvre, has a broad scope and paintings of exceptionally high quality. The National Gallery collection is also said to provide a well-balanced overview of Western art history up to the 20th century; every major development in painting from the Early Renaissance to the Post-impressionists is represented in its holdings, often by masterpieces. With the release of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, 'The Da Vinci Code' starring the film star Tom Hanks playing Professor Robert Langdon, we see Hanks following a series of clues across London, Scotland and Paris in a quest to discover the location of the Holy Grail. Best of all, with our APTG qualified blue badge tourist guides, will accompany you on this lovely journey of the art in our city. You may also visit the National Portrait Gallery just next to the National Gallery.