London’s National Gallery to Get £750m Makeover – Here’s What to Expect
London’s National Gallery is set for its most ambitious reinvention since opening in 1824.
Project Domani, a £750 million transformation, will add a brand-new wing, expand the collection, and reshape the public spaces linking Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. The gallery says the plan will create a “state-of-the-art, sustainable” space to showcase Western painting from its earliest works through post-1900 masterpieces — a first for the institution.
The project will occupy the last remaining portion of the National Gallery campus, St Vincent House, currently a hotel and office complex. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, alongside UK firms BDP and MICA, won the international design competition for the new wing. Their vision includes modern galleries, rooftop terraces, and public areas designed to connect the Gallery more directly with London’s arts quarter.
Funding for Project Domani is already breaking records. The gallery has secured £375 million in cash pledges, including two of the largest single donations ever made to a museum globally, from Crankstart and the Julia Rausing Trust. Additional funds will come from the National Gallery Trust and private donors. These contributions will support both the building project and the Gallery’s expansion into 20th-century and contemporary works.
Project Domani also aims to deepen public engagement. New gallery spaces will allow for exhibitions, research programs, and educational initiatives, while public realms around the Gallery are set to be revitalized with landscaped plazas and improved access routes. The goal is to create a more inclusive and immersive experience, welcoming both local Londoners and international visitors.
Critics, however, caution against overextending. Some question whether a £750 million investment might skew priorities, focusing more on global prestige than community accessibility. Others wonder if the architectural ambition could overshadow the artworks themselves. The National Gallery has defended the project as a necessary evolution to preserve and present its world-class collection for the next century.
Construction is expected to begin once final planning approvals are secured, with the Gallery aiming to complete the wing in phases. If successful, Project Domani will redefine one of the UK’s cultural cornerstones, balancing the weight of history with the demands of a modern, global audience.
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
