Did you manage to squeeze in a visit before it was too late?
The Crawford Art Gallery closed its doors to the public yesterday for an ambitious two and a half year redevelopment project, Transforming the Gallery as we know it with a whole new look and feel.
Staff will continue to work in the building over the winter to secure and remove the remainder of the gallery’s artworks and a building contractor will begin work in Spring 2025. It is anticipated that the public gallery, the only National Cultural Institution located entirely outside Dublin, will reopen in 2027.
Transforming Crawford Art Gallery will increase gallery space by 50%, preserve and protect three centuries of existing built heritage, and create a cultural legacy for a new century as Cork continues to grow.
The completed works will include a new Learn and Explore facility for public engagement, significant storage for the National Collection at Crawford, and a dramatically improved public realm including new café facing onto Half Moon Street.
The building’s entrance will be reoriented to Emmet Place in line with the original Customs House layout dating to 1724.
A large new public gallery space will be created five stories above Cork City, creating a new vantage point for visitors to view city centre landmarks including Shandon and St Finbarre’s Cathedral.