The National Museum of Wales received its Royal Charter in 1907 as a museum of natural science, archaeology, history and the arts. The massive changes to all aspects of Welsh industry in the post-Second World War years prompted the Museum in 1959 to establish the Department of Industry to collect and record in the fields of industry, maritime trade and transport, and our art collection reflects this. One of the highlights is the ship portrait collection – a collection of over 250 portraits of ships of all kinds captured for posterity in watercolours, gouache and oils. Today the collection continues to grow with the support of the Welsh Government and many generous private donors.