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March 17

National Gallery of Art Opens (1941)


On March 17, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt opened the National Gallery of Art. Congress established the Gallery through a congressional joint resolution in 1937.

Andrew W. Mellon was a financier and art collector who began privately collecting pieces of art with the intention of opening a museum in association with the Smithsonian. In 1936, Mellon offered all of his collection as a gift to Congress. Mellon actually wrote a letter to President Roosevelt, offering to donate his art collection to the nation and to build the National Gallery of Art.

In March of 1937, a joint resolution of Congress accepted the collection and building funds and approved the construction of a museum on the National Mall. The legislation also established the National Gallery of Art as an independent bureau within the Smithsonian Institution.

The National Gallery of Art was completed and accepted on behalf of the American people by President Roosevelt on March 17, 1941. The Gallery now houses some amazing art, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the United States. Today, the Gallery still remains a gift to the American people, as it is open to the public free of charge.


Sources:
www.nga.gov