Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane has an exceptional history centred around the ground-breaking vision of Sir Hugh Lane himself. Hugh Lane held the first exhibition of Irish Art in 1904 in London and continued to innovate by endowing the Gallery with a unique and exceptional collection of modern art, including the first impressionist paintings in any public collection across Britain and Ireland. Sir Hugh Lane presented the collection to Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council) in 1908.

In the years since, under the governance of Dublin City Council, the Gallery has built on this exceptional foundation and spirit. It has grown the collection considerably with the same focus on the exceptional. The Gallery continues to focus on modern and contemporary art and excellence in Irish art practice. The Gallery acquired Francis Bacon’s studio and archive – an exciting and unique resource attracting audiences, artists and historians from at home and abroad. Through its dynamic and critically acclaimed programmes and world renowned collections the Gallery plays a very significant cultural role in Ireland. A registered charity, it is part of Dublin City Council.