Main Hall work begins

Visitors to the National Museum are starting to see changes to our Main Hall this week. The temporary relocation of our Information Desk to the existing Cloakroom and the erection of hoardings are the first physical signs that our main entry space is being transformed.

The new space, due to be revealed this September, will include new display cases in the columns of the Hall. These jewel-like displays will be home to objects from the Museum’s collections. Large freestanding objects and a specially commissioned artwork from Reko Rennie are other features. Read more about transforming the Main Hall.

For now, most of the magic will take place behind the hoardings, as the showcases are installed. The Hall will be open to visitors throughout the refurbishment.

Visitors will find our cloaking service along with maps, information about exhibitions, tickets and tours at the Information Desk to the left of the entrance, near the Friends Lounge.

From September, the new Information Desk – expected to look something like the artist’s impression above – will be located directly to your right as you enter the Hall.

Behind the scenes, consultants, contractors and Museum staff have been working in the past weeks to ensure the elements required to deliver the refurbishment are in place. This has included site surveys, working on joinery shop drawings and details, testing interactive technology pieces and checking of material selections.

Read about the May 2018 renaming of the Main Hall to Gandel Atrium