A great lover of art, Samuel Courtald built up an extensive private art collection. And in 1931 he set up the Courtald Institute of Art, as part of the University of London. This was the first academic establishment in the UK to offer courses in art history.

When Courtald died in 1947 he left his art collection to the University, and it has been on public display ever since.

It has been added to over the years and today houses the biggest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in Britain. Some of the most famous pieces include Two Dancers by Degas, Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear by van Gogh, Bar at the Folies-Bergere by Manet, and La Loge by Renoir.

Other than Impressionist works, there are also some well-known earlier pieces, for example paintings by Gainsborough, Rubens and Botticelli.

The Courtald Institute Galleries are open daily from 10am-6pm Mondays to Saturdays and from 2pm-6pm on Sundays.