National Gallery

The Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 July 1991, and has been a fitting home to a world-renowned collection of Renaissance paintings ever since.

In April 1985, the National Gallery accepted a combined offer from the Headley, Linbury and Monument Trusts to fund the extension. This revived a long-stalled project stretching back to 1958, when Harold McMillan’s government first acquired the plot: then a waste ground that had remained unadorned since being bombed in the war.

After a worldwide search for an architect, the firm Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown was selected in January 1986. The subsequent donation was the largest private gift to a museum since the First World War. Simon Sainsbury also donated 18 works from his own collection.

In 2001, celebrating 10 years of the Sainsbury Wing, Neil MacGregor (then Director of the National Gallery) wrote in The Guardian: “There was one overriding purpose for this building – to provide the best possible galleries for the display of early Renaissance paintings, recognised already in John Ruskin’s day as the finest and most balanced collection in existence, and now probably the only place in the world where the visitor can walk through the revolutionary achievements of the whole of western European painting from 1250 to 1500.”

These works – including the likes of Sandro Botticelli, Carlo Crivelli, and Jan van Eyck – were meant to be accessible. To that end, the Sainsbury Wing was designed to be entered at pavement level, immediately immersing the visitor in the art. It utilised daylight as much as possible and the collection’s paintings were arranged in a broadly chronological order. Many of the paintings were religious and devotional pictures: the galleries’ interiors subtly echoed the Italian churches that many of them were originally housed in – a truly innovative design feature.

As well as re-visualising early Renaissance painting, the Wing showcased the latest technology to enhance public enjoyment of the collection. It provided new public facilities including a lecture theatre and space for temporary exhibitions. This theatre transformed the Gallery’s teaching role into a powerhouse of art learning at every level – from primary school to postgraduate.

The foundation stone was laid by the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1987, with the Wing officially opened four years later. The public instantly signalled their appreciation and around 25m people visited during the first 10 years of opening.

Over 30 years later, in 2022, The Headley Trust and The Linbury Trust provided a second major grant. This supported the redevelopment of the Sainsbury Wing in advance of the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary this summer, ensuring it remains relevant for future generations.