Dublin City Council has said the city’s Hugh Lane Gallery is to close for three years in order to facilitate a refurbishment.
The work will also coincide with the construction of a new library for Dublin city centre that will be directly linked to the gallery.
Hugh Lane Gallery will close on 28 September to ensure the “safe removal” of its collection.
The gallery’s collection includes works by Francis Bacon, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Sean Scully and Harry Clarke.
“The refurbishment is part of a major investment in Parnell Square North which will reshape the square into a significant cultural quarter and enrich the experience of Dublin’s citizens and visitors to the city,” Dublin City Council said in a statement.
The gallery will be closed for around three years
The work will see the gallery’s security and environmental controls upgraded to “21st century museum standards”.
“It will ensure the preservation of the collection for future generations and will enhance our ability to secure significant international loans for major temporary exhibitions,” Dublin City Council said.
“The Hugh Lane Gallery conservation team is working hard to safely pack and transport the gallery’s renowned collection to museum standard storage facilities.
“This ensures the public’s collection is being cared for to the highest standards and will be ready for display when the gallery reopens.”
The gallery is home to Francis Bacon’s studio, which will remain onsite during the refurbishment work and “will be fully protected throughout the temporary closure period”.
The art museum is operated by Dublin City Council and its wholly-owned company, the Hugh Lane Trust.
The director of the Hugh Lane Gallery said the “very exciting project” will upgrade the 1930s wing of the gallery.
Speaking on RTÉ News at One, Dr Barbara Dawson said the art-deco building “really hasn’t been touched since 1933”.
“This will upgrade it to 21st century,” she said.
Dr Dawson said the “tremendous addition” to the gallery will allow them to hang all of their paintings there and facilitate international loans for exhibitions.
She said a link between the new city library and the gallery which will be a “unique experience across art and literature” when it opens.
The director said “it will take time” to realise “all these ambitious plans”.
“It’s a great investment in Parnell Square,” she said.
She said there are plans in Phase 2 to further develop the buildings adjacent to the gallery.
“The gallery will remain as beautiful as ever with its 1930s artefacts and architectural feature but it will be completely upgraded ” added Dr Dawson.