National Gallery of Art: Washington DC A Travel Guide for our Nation

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art was created by Congress in 1937, with funds for construction and a substantial art collection donated by Andrew W. Mellon. The building, based on the Pantheon, was designed by John Russell Pope, and opened in 1941. Today the museum has a world-class collection of paintings and sculptures by European masters from the medieval period through the late 19th century, as well as prominent American artists. Highlights of the collection include many paintings by Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, and the only painting by Leonardo Da Vinci in the United States. There is an excellent cafeteria and Gift Shop in the tunnel below which connects the National Gallery to the East Wing.