THE HUGH LANE Gallery is to close its doors for the next few years from September as it undergoes refurbishment. 

Dublin City Council announced today that the planned refurbishment would see the gallery’s doors close to the public on 28 September. It is expected to remain closed for at least three years to facilitate the renovation and safe removal of the gallery’s collection.

The refurbishment will proceed alongside the construction of a new city library for Dublin. 

In a statement, the city council said that the refurbishment is “part of a major investment in Parnell Square North which will reshape the square into a significant cultural quarter and enrich the experience of Dublin’s citizens and visitors to the city.”

It added that it will upgrade the original 1930s wing to 21st century museum standards of security and environmental controls. 

Previously named Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, the gallery is on Parnell Square on the north side of the city centre. It was founded by Sir Hugh Lane in 1908 as part of the Celtic Revival Movement in Ireland at the turn of the 20th century. 

The building itself was built between the years 1763 to around 1775 by a James Caulfield, the First Earl of Charlemont, and was named Charlemont House. In 1929, the building was chosen to be the permanent home for the gallery, and was officially opened there in 1933.

Today, the city council said that the refurbishment will include a “direct link” between the gallery and the new Dublin City library – “creating a unique cultural experience across art and literature”.

Francis Bacon’s Studio, which is at the gallery, will be fully protected throughout the temporary closure period and will remain onsite.