2024 marks the bicentenary of the founding of the National Gallery.

Simon tells the story of the National Gallery's foundation in 1824, when Lord Liverpool's government purchased 38 paintings for £57,000 from the private collection of businessman and philanthropist John Julius Angerstein. Today the collection amounts to 2,300 works spanning the major traditions of Western European painting.

Please note directions to the different venue  for this lecture, The Carrington Suite, Holiday Inn, London Road Milton Keynes East MK16 0JA: (Lovat Hall is unavailable for this date).

Access to the Holiday Inn on the A509 between Newport Pagnell and Junction 14 of the M1 in Milton Keynes is currently only available from the motorway roundabout on Childs Way (H6) MK. If travelling from Newport Pagnell or Olney,please follow the Diversion signs to the M1. Signs for the A509 at the M1 roundabout suggest that the road is closed, but there is access to the Holiday Inn (the road is closed just after it). The diversion is likely to add 5-10minutes to your journey, so make sure you arrive in time for coffee, from 10:15 onwards
The Hotel has a large car park. which is free, but you will need to enter your car registration details  in the hotel. Enter the Hotel off the car park side entrance, where you see the sign Carrington Suite above the door. In the entrance corridor you will find coat stands, toilets and tables laid out with tea/coffee and cookies.