This is yet another free activity! Situated just to the west of Dulwich Park, DPG has been housing great art for over two-hundred years. This makes it England’s first purpose-built art gallery.
Whilst dating back to 1626, the bulk of the collection occurred just under two hundred years later – and what a strange tale it is! In 1790 two art dealers were commissioned to create a Royal Collection for the King of Poland. They took five years in the task, gathering a collection fit for a king. Unfortunately, during this time Poland was partitioned by its larger and more powerful neighbours. Meaning that the collection had no king to go to!
The two art dealers tried to find new buyers for the collection, but with none forthcoming, the collection was eventually made available to inspection by the public. This was later stipulated in the will of the last surviving dealer and has been enthralling the public ever since.
The collection has been added to over the years, most notably with the Linley collection in 1835 and the Fairfax Murray Gift in 1911. The result is one of the finest collections of Old Masters in the world.
DPG houses both permanent exhibits and temporary ones. The permanent collection includes notable works by the likes of Rembrandt, Canaletto, Murillo, Gainsborough, Rubens, and Constable.
The temporary exhibits generally charge an entry fee but are well worth it. The latest extravaganza is Rembrandt’s Light; including 35 of his iconic artworks. Atmospheric lighting and cinematic effects have been used to immerse the viewer into Rembrandt’s world.
Outside is a cafe, with internal and external seating, which provides better than the average fare. There are also seating areas in the small grass area at the front of the museum. If eating your own food, however, then you’d be better off eating it in the lovely Dulwich Park, which is only a few minutes’ walk away.
At the gallery entrance, you’ll find free luggage lockers, which take small to medium bags (but not suitcases).
The galley is not massive, so an hour should be sufficient for most visitors to view the standing collection.
