The National Gallery

London's National Gallery was established in 1824 and its policy of making great art available to be viewed for free has helped it to become one of the most-visited art museums in the world. Its collection may be only a fraction of the size of its rivals, but few galleries have so many masterpieces under one roof, with iconic works by pretty much every major artist from the mid-13th century to 1900. Among its treasures are Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne, van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, Botticelli's Venus and Mars, Constable's Hay Wain, Turner's The Fighting Temeraire, and countless others. The Gallery has expanded gently over the years and now offers a wide range of children's activities, outreach programmes, accessibility initatives and two fine places to eat in the Dining Room (very English comfort food) and the Cafe (a more cosmopolitan menu). The Salisbury Wing Theatre is a venue for talks, presentations and even the occasional play.