The National Gallery turns 200: director Gabriele Finaldi on London's 'beautiful, jewelled treasure chest'
The chance to celebrate the 200th birthday of a treasured institution comes around fairly rarely. But today, in the very heart of London, the champagne corks will be popping as the National Gallery, one of Britain’s great cultural jewels, hits that venerable age.
It will put on a Big Weekend of celebrations, kicked off by a spectacular illumination show projected onto the front of the famous neo-classical building in Trafalgar Square from 9pm tonight. There will also be concerts — masterminded by Jools Holland — workshops, talks and tours, as well as tales from the gallery’s storied history.
Gabriele Finaldi is the National Gallery director who sees in the 200. “It’s an enormous privilege to be part of the generation that crosses the threshold into its third century,” he says. “It’s not like any year; the bicentenary has galvanised people’s affection for the gallery and their generosity towards it.” He adds,
