The United States entered World War II less than 9 months after the National Gallery of Art was dedicated and opened on March 17, 1941.  The conflict had a dramatic impact on the young museum, which sent paintings off-site for security, received works of art from other nations for safe-keeping, developed programs and exhibitions for soldiers and war-workers in Washington, and participated in efforts to protect art and monuments in war areas.  A wide range of records on each of these subjects is available for research.  Finding aids to related personal papers in the National Gallery of Art Archives are available here.

Wartime Security and the Biltmore Evacuation
(PDF 78kb)
French Government Loan and Belgian Government Paintings (PDF 78kb)

Gallery Contributions to the War Effort (PDF 78kb)
The Roberts Commission and Monuments Fine Arts and Archives Officers (PDF 94kb)
Paintings from the Berlin Museums and Hohenzollern Silver (PDF 86kb)
World War II-Related Exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art (PDF 78kb)