Image: Crawford Art Gallery, Cork
Crawford Art Gallery in Cork has fully vacated its historic building as a major redevelopment enters its construction phase, with façade restoration, clock conservation, archaeological recording and the creation of new galleries and public facilities now underway. The Irish national cultural institution says it anticipates reopening in late 2028, subject to the continued progress of the project and the subsequent reinstallation of its collection.
The gallery moved out of the building on 12 January 2026 after months of carefully transferring its artworks. The site was then handed over to contractor PJ Hegarty & Sons and the Office of Public Works. In an update published by Crawford, the institution said construction was progressing smoothly and described 'Transforming Crawford Art Gallery' as the largest single development undertaken on its historic site.
The work combines the conservation of the existing buildings with a substantial extension. The project was designed by Grafton Architects and is being delivered by the Office of Public Works and Crawford Art Gallery as part of Project Ireland 2040. The redevelopment has been approved as a multi-million-euro investment by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and forms part of the National Development Plan.
Crawford’s buildings have a history stretching back three centuries. The site began as a Custom House in 1724 and later served as a School of Art, a municipal gallery and a National Cultural Institution. The gallery is home to more than 3,500 works from the National Collection. Conservation work now includes the restoration of windows, brickwork, slates and railings on the front façade, while the building’s clock is undergoing conservation.
Archaeologists are working on site as historic fabric and objects are uncovered. Among the discoveries reported by the gallery are library tickets, summons letters, parking tickets, cigarette packets, matchboxes and fireplaces hidden beneath panelling. Marks left by generations of craftsmen on the building’s timber structures are also being documented. A summons letter found in the gallery is dated 1968. Crawford said the objects and discoveries are being protected and recorded as construction continues.
The extension is planned to increase the gallery’s overall space by 50% and add a 32-metre new-build section at the rear. It will include purpose-built collection storage, additional galleries, a new Learn & Explore Centre, a café, improved accessibility, a large lift, and new public spaces. Plans also include a new top-floor gallery with views across Cork, a landscaped garden at the front of the building, a restaurant opening onto Half Moon Street, and measures intended to improve environmental performance through low- to zero-carbon technologies.
While the building is closed, Crawford’s programmes are continuing off site and online. Learn & Explore has maintained community work through Crawford Supported Studios and its partnership with Cork Migrant Centre, while the gallery’s collection has been shared through exhibitions and loans. Crawford has partnered on exhibitions at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, the F.E. McWilliam Gallery in Banbridge and Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, and works remain on loan to institutions including the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Ireland, Michael Collins House and Doneraile Court. The gallery expects handover of the redeveloped building in mid-2028, followed by several months of installation and commissioning before the late-2028 opening.
