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National Portrait Gallery to shut for three years during £35.5m redevelopment project

The London institution will close in June 2020

Ellie Harrison
Tuesday 05 November 2019 12:09 EST
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Barack Obama unveils official portrait at National Portrait Gallery in DC

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The National Portrait Gallery will close for three years as part of a redevelopment project which is estimated to cost £35.5m.

Art exhibitions from the London gallery, including works by Monet and Van Gogh, will be toured across the UK while a new main entrance to the building is constructed.

There are also plans to reopen the gallery's east wing and create a public forecourt.

The site in St Martin's Place will close in June 2020 and is expected to open for business in spring 2023.

Some 300 portraits a year will be shown across the UK while the work is being done, with regional shows including an exhibition in partnership with York Art Gallery in 2021 and an exhibition of Tudor portraits curated in partnership with the Holburne Museum in Bath in 2022.

There will also be projects in partnership with National Museums Liverpool, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Director of the National Portrait Gallery Dr Nicholas Cullinan said: "This is a unique and important chapter in our history as we embark on our journey to deliver a transformed National Portrait Gallery, which will enable us to become more welcoming and engaging to all and fulfil our role as the nation's family album.

“We are delighted to be able to partner with organisations across the UK and internationally to share our Collection to new and existing audiences."

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