Annual Review 2011-12 - National Galleries of Scotland

A New Portrait Gallery for Scotland
Opposite New display at the
Portrait Gallery, Blazing with
Crimson: Tartan Portraits.
Photo: Chris Watt
Above The refurbished Gallery.
Photo: Duke Studios
Following a two-and-a-half-year
refurbishment programme, the
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
reopened on 1 December 2011,
becoming a true Portrait of the
Nation: a unique, responsive and
essential portrayal of Scotland.
Our vision was to redefine the Gallery for
the twenty-first century and to fascinate,
stimulate and engage our audience. The
Gallery was gradually transformed, beautifully
restored to its former glory and
now includes first-class visitor facilities,
a larger café and magnificent galleries to
house the collection. We have also delivered
all the services to the Gallery, using
the very fabric of the building and its
huge internal space to manage environmental
conditions and reduce our carbon
footprint in our care of the collection.
The restoration, the first in its 120-year
history, has increased public space by
60% and has resulted in the rediscovery of
one of the finest buildings in Scotland.
New Displays
The new displays of paintings, sculpture
and photography cover themes from
sport and science to friendship and
philosophy, creating a modern portrait
gallery, relevant to much wider audiences
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