A New Chapter for the Gallery
The reopening of the Sainsbury Wing, designed by Selldorf Architects, brings the Gallery’s NG200 programme to a close: a year-long celebration marking its 200th anniversary, launched on 10 May 2024. At the centre of the new entrance is a high-resolution, multi-screen digital installation offering animated displays of artworks, expert insights and storytelling. This ambitious digital canvas reflects a clear shift toward integrated visitor experiences and marks the fifth major addition to the Gallery’s growing digital portfolio, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“We know that slow looking has great benefits for deeper insights, emotional connections, and mindfulness and wellbeing,” said John Stack, Director of Digital Innovation and Technology. “So it makes perfect sense to use new technologies to bring that experience to visitors who can’t spend as much time with our paintings in person.”
A Year of Digital Innovation
National Gallery Imaginarium
This free, browser-based experience invites users of all ages into a digital space inspired by actual works in the collection. Visitors can explore each painting’s meaning and context through audio, text and visual interpretations, including a soundscape by artist Nick Ryan and an introduction by poet Sir Ben Okri. The platform encourages both individual reflection and group discussion, blending creative learning with sensory immersion.
The Keeper of Paintings
An augmented reality game offers four interactive experiences for young at families. With it’s forth edition co-created with children, the games are embedded across the new Roden Centre for Creative Learning. These story-based experiences introduce young audiences to artworks through interactive play. It forms part of a growing narrative “universe” that spans both the Gallery and external locations, supporting active, exploratory engagement.
200 Paintings for 200 Years
A major research project making catalogue entries for 200 artworks available online for the first time. This includes 2.2 million words of scholarship and 2,700 images, from x-rays and infrared scans to photomicrographs, alongside new research into works like Raphael’s Portrait of Pope Julius II. For the first time, detailed information about the collections frames, some dating to the 13th century, is also freely accessible.
200 Creators
Launched via an open call in autumn 2023, this initiative invited artists and digital creatives to respond to the Gallery’s collection and its wider ecosystem: from conservation and architecture to personal stories. 20 Creative Collaborators were commissioned to share content across their own platforms and the Gallery’s social channels from July 2024. 200 members of the broader Creators Network also received free Gallery membership, exclusive digital events and preview days, and workshops with social media platforms.
Rethinking Access in the Arts
The National Gallery’s digital strategy reflects a broader cultural shift in how we think about accessibility and public engagement with the arts. Digital interpretation extends the reach and longevity of exhibitions, making collections accessible across different locations, time zones and circumstances, including for people living with chronic illness or disability.
For many disabled visitors, traditional gallery spaces remain difficult to access due to physical, sensory or cognitive barriers. Thoughtfully designed digital tools provide flexible and meaningful ways to experience art. They support slower-paced interaction, multi-sensory engagement and self-directed exploration.
Accessible design removes barriers and makes the experience richer and more rewarding for everyone. The Gallery’s work demonstrates how embracing this principle can reshape not only who we reach, but how deeply we connect.
For practical advice on how to engage with art spaces with disability, see our article Navigating Exhibitions with Neurodiversity.
References
National Gallery, 2025. Digital Experiences at the National Gallery: A Glimpse at the Future. [Accessed 07 May 2025]
