NG Stories: Making a National Gallery
4 October 2024 – 12 January 2025, Ground Floor Galleries
The National Gallery
Admission: Free
Online: nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/ng-stories
The National Gallery invites the public to explore the extraordinary lives of 14 Victorian children who grew up within its walls as part of the new immersive digital experience, NG Stories: Making a National Gallery, launching this week. This unique exhibition combines both online and in-person elements, offering a fresh look at the human stories behind one of the world’s most famous galleries.
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From 4 October 2024 to 12 January 2025, visitors can discover the lesser-known histories of people who shaped the Gallery’s past. NG Stories will take visitors on a journey through two specially curated rooms on the ground floor of the Gallery, enhanced by a variety of online histories shared across social media platforms.
The experience is designed to blend the digital with the physical, utilizing innovative digital storytelling methods to illuminate the lives of those who have both influenced and been influenced by the Gallery. Featured stories include the Gallery’s first housemaid, the Keepers and porters who safeguarded the paintings, and the public efforts that helped enhance the Gallery’s collections.
Visitors will be able to “step into the frame” of history through interactive installations and a large-scale audio-visual journey that uses a blend of historical images and modern technology to bring these narratives to life. A dynamic soundscape will connect the exhibition spaces, providing a vivid backdrop to the stories being told.
Highlights include a reimagined projection of the wartime concerts by pianist Myra Hess and the stories of individuals like Ralph Nicholson Wornum, an artist who lived in the Gallery with his large family from 1855 to 1871.
NG Stories is part of the National Gallery’s Bicentenary celebrations and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies as a key initiative of the NG200 digital engagement program. The exhibition is not only a reflection on the Gallery’s past but also a forward-looking component of its future digital strategy, designed to engage a global audience.
Rosemary Leith, National Gallery Trustee and chair of the Digital Advisory Board, stated, “NG Stories represents the pinnacle of our efforts to integrate digital technology with cultural heritage, ensuring that the National Gallery remains a leader in digital innovation within the museum sector worldwide.”
Alan Crookham, Research Manager and Archivist at the National Gallery, added, “It’s a privilege to bring our rich archives to life alongside lesser-known stories that are equally captivating. We are eager to not only share these with our visitors but to also invite them to contribute their own stories, further enriching the Gallery’s living history.”
