This week marks the launch of NG Stories: Making a National Gallery, an exciting new immersive digital experience that delves deep into the human histories surrounding the National Gallery.
Running from 4 October 2024 to 12 January 2025, this exhibition is set to captivate audiences by highlighting the lives and contributions of those often forgotten in the annals of art history, including 14 Victorian children who grew up within the Gallery’s walls.
NG Stories is part of the NG200 digital engagement programme, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and promises to blend the digital with the physical, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the Gallery’s 200-year history. This initiative brings to life the stories of the Gallery’s first housemaid, the Keepers, and porters who resided in the building, as well as the key figures involved in the acquisition of artworks for the nation.
Visitors will explore two rooms on the Gallery’s ground floor. The first features interactive and immersive elements that place the visitor at the heart of the experience. The second room takes them on an audio-visual journey through the Gallery’s rich past, enhanced by a soundscape that blends ambient sounds from bustling public areas with behind-the-scenes recordings of staff at work.
The exhibition also reimagines the famous wartime concerts of pianist Myra Hess, combining archival footage with a new soundscape. This segment shines a light on the people behind these concerts, including composer Howard Ferguson and Joyce Grenfell, who famously quipped about the concert sandwiches, ‘We made sandwiches that became justly famous for being complementary to the music.’
Alan Crookham, the National Gallery’s Research Manager and Archivist, shares his enthusiasm: “It’s been a great pleasure to bring the Gallery’s fascinating archives to life in an innovative way. Alongside familiar stories and people, we’ve unearthed many more that are less well known such as Martha Hirst, the Gallery’s first housemaid, or the early history of our brilliant colleagues in the Scientific Department. We’re delighted to share their Gallery journeys with our visitors but also to receive new stories from members of the public.”
Visitors can enjoy this remarkable exploration of history free of charge, and the exhibition’s audience contributions are set to play a role in the Gallery’s future displays. As the Gallery prepares for a new entrance to the Sainsbury Wing and the redisplay of its collection in May 2025, these stories will become a part of the digital welcome for audiences.
Rosemary Leith, National Gallery Trustee and chair of the Digital Advisory Board, remarks, “NG Stories, along with our other digital offerings in our 200th anniversary year, is a culmination of years of fantastic work by the Gallery and Digital teams to engage with our audiences more deeply. We’re excited to be bringing the National Gallery to the forefront of digital leadership in the gallery and museum sector within the UK and internationally.”
Art enthusiasts and the general public alike are invited to immerse themselves in this fusion of history and modern technology, as NG Stories offers a fresh perspective on the National Gallery’s storied past.