Our National Gallery is a magnificent institution. The neoclassical façade and grandiose steps of this huge 19th century building dominate the north side of Trafalgar Square. The permanent exhibitions contain more than 2300 works from 1250 to 1900 and there are several rooms of 20th century art to keep the more avant garde minded happy. Rolling guest exhibitions are a continual feature of the gallery. The National has so many highlights that you could spend a dozen lunch breaks marching through the place and still come away amazed every time.

From the ornate pageantry of Boticelli’s “Adoration of the Magi” to the austerity of Van Gogh’s chair, the variety of paintings in the National is phenomenal. Artists displayed include Holbein, Constable, Van Eyck, Monet, Breughel, Rembrandt and Da Vinci, whose two Madonnas are perhaps the finest works in this remarkable gallery. And every scrap of paint and gilded frame is owned by the British public, who are encouraged to visit for free throughout the year.

An iconic meeting place, a retreat from the banality of office life, a place to sketch, hold forth to someone else about your tastes and expertise, or simply wander hungover through the rooms until something drags you to a halt. The National Gallery is both awe inspiring and as familiar and welcoming as an old friend.