Geograph - photograph every grid square

Lady Lever Art Gallery is named after Lord Leverhulme's wife Elizabeth Hulme, who died in 1913. He started work on the Gallery in 1913, working closely with his architects William and Segar Owen of Warrington, to produce a Neoclassical design of reinforced concrete, but clad in Portland Stone. By keeping the building low and setting back the corners, the architects managed to design a very large gallery without overwhelming the surrounding cottages. There are few windows, the interior being mostly lit by roof lights that display the extensive collection (he explained, "I have to cater for all tastes ...") pleasingly in soft natural light. The gallery was formally opened on 16 December 1922 by Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. In his speech Lever explained that the new building contained the cream of his collection, "... the finest works of artists that I have had the opportunity to acquire ..." The Gallery is well worth a visit.