Royal Academy of Arts expands collection galleries

The Royal Academy of Arts (RA), London, has announced plans to expand its Collection Gallery in Burlington Gardens into a double-height space.

The project will significantly enhance the RA’s free offer for visitors by allowing a greater selection of works from the gallery’s collection to be displayed. The project has been supported by an anonymous donor.

The redeveloped space will be designed by David Chipperfield Architects, who completed the RA’s transformation in 2018, as well as the RA Schools restoration and renewal project in 2024 together with Julian Harrap Architects.

The RA Collection Gallery project will restore, in a modern interpretation of its original design, architect James Pennethorne’s double-height examination hall – originally opened in 1870 as part of the University of London – in the west wing of the building.

The project will create a 12-metre-high gallery with a mezzanine on the first floor, which the organisation says will allow for greater freedom in how the gallery can be used as well as the opportunity to share new narratives from the collection.

The current Collection Gallery will close to the public on 10 October. The whole of 6 Burlington Gardens will close to the public from 27 October and will reopen in early 2027.

Burlington House, accessible from Piccadilly, will remain open as usual and the RA’s 2026 exhibition programme will be unaffected.

The RA Collection Gallery Project is the third and final phase of the RA’s Masterplan Programme. Previous stages include the RA250 Project (completed in 2018) and the RA Schools Restoration and Renewal Project (completed in 2024).

Simon Wallis, the secretary and chief executive of the RA, said: “The RA has an important and growing permanent collection. This project will create a stunning David Chipperfield Architects designed double-height gallery, restoring the building with reference to its original design and further enhancing our offer to visitors. We are extremely grateful to our anonymous donor for their support on this very special project.”