National Gallery outlines woke overhaul to attract more ‘diverse visitors’ at London museum

The National Gallery has published a ten-year strategy to expand its collection and attract a broader range of visitors. It plans to tell a more varied story of painting, including works by artists and movements previously absent from its displays.

The 2026-2036 strategy proposes building a significant collection of 20th- and 21st-century paintings through purchases, loans, gifts and bequests, with a new wing expected in the early 2030s. The gallery says exhibitions and public programmes will represent a wider range of eras, genders, heritage and geographies, and aims to remove barriers to engagement. The plans follow the gallery’s decision to end its post-1900 art ban, which had been linked to an arrangement with Tate.