Tate started collecting paintings by leading artists of his day, originally displaying them in his own home - Park Hill in London. 

Eventually he decided to offer the collection to the National Gallery, but they didn't have the space to exhibit the whole collection. 

Sir Henry Tate decided to build a gallery himself. 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer offered the site at Millbank and the gallery known as the National Gallery of British Art was built at a cost of £80,000.

This was opened in 1988, its primary purpose being to increase public access to the National Collection of Modern Art formerly only on view at the Tate Gallery London.

The gallery was opened in Liverpool because of Tate's early connections with the city.

Tate's achievements in Liverpool were unusual in that his success was based on manufacturing entrepreneurship rather than success as a merchant.