Thomas Cole

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The National Gallery's renowned collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, prints, and drawings is among the finest and most visited in the United States. Originally created in 1937 as a gift to the American people by Andrew Mellon, the Gallery is an enduring symbol of the nation's commitment to the arts. The museum is open to the public 363 days a year free of charge and hosts educational programs, concerts, and a full spectrum of cultural events. The original 1941 West Building, the I.M. Pei-designed East Building from 1978, and the Sculpture Garden added in 1999 together house 130,000 works of art of exceptional quality from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. The Gallery Shops feature a wide assortment of exhibition catalogs, scholarly publications, children's books and toys, elegant jewelry reproductions, stationery, art materials, scarves, ties, and other fine museum gifts.