The Yale Center for British Art houses the largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. Presented to the University by Paul Mellon (Yale College Class of 1929), the collection of paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, rare books, and manuscripts reflects the development of British art and culture from the Elizabethan period to present day. Within the collection, which is free and open to the public, are masterpieces by artists such as J.M.W. Turner, Joshua Reynolds, and Barbara Hepworth.
The Center offers a year-round schedule of exhibitions and programs, including films, concerts, lectures, tours, symposia, and family events. It also provides numerous opportunities for scholarly research, such as residential fellowships. Academic resources of the Center include the reference library and photo archive, conservation laboratories, and a study room for examining prints, drawings, watercolors, rare books, manuscripts, maps, and other special collections.