The Scottish National Portrait Gallery (SNPG) opened in December last year, following an ambitious £17.6m restoration project and with an entirely new presentation of its world-famous collection … a collection depicting Scots through the ages from Mary, Queen of Scots to Dr Who actor Karen Gillan.
The project – the first major refurbishment in the Gallery’s 120-year history – has restored much of the architect’s original vision, opening up previously inaccessible parts of the building and increasing the public space by more than 60 percent. It has also added a range of new facilities that will utterly transform visitors’ experience of the Gallery, including the great glass lift that will take visitors up through the heart of the building. Entry to the new Portrait Gallery is completely free.
The SNPG opened in 1889 as the world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery and is now an iconic landmark in the heart of Scotland’s capital. Its collection of portraits has grown to become one of the largest and finest in the world, comprising 3,000 paintings and sculptures, 25,000 prints and drawings. This distinctive red sandstone building also houses the national collection of photography with some 38,000 historic and modern photographs.
For the first time since the Gallery was established, access to the exhibition spaces on all three levels has been opened up, while the restoration of the magnificent suite of top-lit galleries on the upper floor has created one of the most impressive display spaces in Scotland, allowing natural light to fill the rooms without damaging the artworks. As a result, a much greater proportion of the collection will be on show, bringing to light a wealth of art works that has been, until now, largely hidden from view.
The new displays follow a chronological pattern but also focus on various themes and subjects in greater depth, exploring the richness of Scottish history and culture and telling the story of its people and places through the lens of the visual arts.
There is also a fresh approach to information and interpretation, including trails, themes and an interactive touchscreen gallery and the displays are designed to change and evolve so that over time, the public will have access to different aspects of this extraordinarily rich and diverse collection.
