The National Gallery opens spaces for socialising, dining and relaxing, in beautifully restored former curatorial offices
Supporters’ House, the third part of the National Gallery’s Bicentenary capital project, will open its doors on Monday 2 June, the Gallery has announced. A space for cultural life, the best in food and drink, and a home away from home for those who want to spend more quality time in proximity to great art, this is the first time the National Gallery has had a dedicated space for members and patrons.
Supporters’ House has been created from former curatorial offices, on the ground floor of the west side of the Wilkins’ Building, facing onto Trafalgar Square with its own dedicated entrance. High windows offer views of Nelson’s Column, the fourth plinth and a backdrop of tree tops and sky (much like the landscape paintings found in the Gallery’s collection), while keeping Supporters’ House itself secluded – an oasis of calm in the city. The plan was designed by New York-based architect Annabelle Selldorf, working with Purcell Architects, with interiors by Studio Linse.
A curated programme of House Events will be hosted in an intimate Salon space - a new London hotspot for regular conversations with curators, talks by renowned authors, and creative masterclasses. These bespoke events series have been designed to foster a social community within the space, and start with Nancy Durrant getting to know our curators over a cocktail in a new series called ‘Art Distilled’ starting 6 June. Day-to-day, a new bar, lounge and dining room with a menu created by Giorgio Locatelli will offer quiet luxury in the heart of the city, with a private dining room available for House Members to book.
Each constituent space has a design taken from the seasons, with a copper private dining room inspired by Turner’s sunsets at the centre of the House around which all other rooms orbit. The Bar has a whiskey-autumn glow; shades of spring blossom bring daylight to the lounge; the Salon has an 1850s-inspired pinky summer blush, and blue shades bring a warm winter to the Dining Room.
Woven silk wallpapers that echo those so recognisable to the Gallery - as well as high gloss paint which embraces imperfections in the plaster walls, as one might see individual brush strokes in a painting - link Supporters’ House to the Gallery itself. 'I wanted to take inspiration from the uniqueness of the Gallery itself', said Paul Linse, founder of Amsterdam-based Studio Linse. 'So much of life and the world around us is reflected in its paintings. We have brought snapshots of that to the inside of Supporters’ House and we hope visitors will feel like they are in the very heart of the Gallery.'
In the heart of London’s West End, Supporters’ House is both deeply connected to the Gallery and a beautiful space for its members to socialise, dine and unwind away from the crowds with a book, or to reflect after visiting the galleries. It makes use of the Gallery’s location, as an iconic part of the fabric of central London, with cosmopolitan and international influence all around.
Open to National Gallery House members as well as the George Beaumont Group Patrons, George Beaumont Circle Patrons, Young Ambassadors, donors and corporate supporters, the opening of Supporters’ House also coincides with the launch of a refreshed membership proposition at the Gallery that allows people more choice about the benefits that matter most to them. As always, all levels of membership and patronage support keeping access to the Gallery free for all.
Notes to editors
The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cezanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission free.
On 10 May 2024 the National Gallery was 200 years old, and we started our Bicentenary celebration, a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination, marking two centuries of bringing people and paintings together.
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