The National Gallery of Art, located on the
National Mall in Washington, D.C., continues to stand as one of the nation’s preeminent
cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1937, the Gallery has served as a beacon of
free access to art and education, drawing millions of visitors each year to its world-
renowned collections, exhibitions, and public programs.
The National Gallery is comprised of two architecturally significant buildings—the
neoclassical West Building, designed by John Russell Pope, and the modernist East
Building, designed by I. M. Pei—as well as the vibrant, 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden that
unites the campus with an open-air celebration of modern and contemporary art.