National Gallery of Canada : In 1880, the National Gallery of Canada was established under the patronage of Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne. In 1907, an advisory council of three was appointed to provide advice and assistance to the Minister of Public Works regarding purchases for works of art by the Government. An Act of Parliament to incorporate the National Gallery of Canada and to establish a Board of Trustees, known as the National Gallery of Canada Act, was assented to on June 6, 1913. In 1967, the National Gallery of Canada Act was superseded by the National Museums Act, which brought together the National Gallery of Canada, the National Museum of Man, the National Museum of Natural Sciences, and the National Museum of Science and Technology under a single administrative body: the National Museums of Canada Corporation. On July 1, 1990, the Museums Act established the National Gallery of Canada as a distinct Crown corporation.
The mandate of the National Gallery of Canada is to develop, maintain and make known, throughout Canada and internationally, a collection of works of art, both historic and contemporary, with special but not exclusive reference to Canada, and to further knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of art in general among all Canadians.
The National Gallery of Canada is currently governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and nine other trustees who report to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. The Board is assisted by six committees: the Executive Committee; the Acquisitions Committee; the Audit and Finance Committee; the Governance and Nominating Committee; the Human Resources Committee, and the Programmes and Advancement Committee. The Director and CEO of the Gallery is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Gallery.