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Two years after the National Gallery of Australia disclosed it was using blankets and buckets to mop up leaking water, the museum’s roof, windows and skylights are still awaiting a permanent fix.
Essential works to address a “significant backlog of building failures and ageing infrastructure” was only partially funded, the gallery has revealed in its annual report, and it was “actively focused” on securing necessary funding.
In 2023 National Gallery staff were forced to use towels and buckets to prevent water damage in the building.
The NGA in Canberra is home to the most valuable collection of art in Australia – valued at $7.4 billion – and comprises 155,594 works, including the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
The poor state of repair of its building was disclosed in a series of reports by this masthead in 2023, which prompted the Albanese government to pledge $535 million towards the upgrade of the nation’s collecting institutions, including the NGA.
In March, the NGA appointed a builder to undertake critical rectification works, including $25.5 million to roll out crucial waterproofing impacting public gallery spaces. This included “some high-priority roof repairs”. Long-standing issues with five water features were also being addressed, the annual report said.
Work had started, too, at an offsite storage facility to repack and rehouse 8000 objects for long-term storage in preparation for plant and equipment upgrades and compliance works.
The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra needs $265 million in urgent repairs. Credit: James Brickwood
“We continue to implement a short-term plan to mitigate the risks of water ingress affecting the national collection, visitors and staff,” the NGA noted.
But a long-term solution to replace the roof, water-compromised skylights and windows of the brutalist building on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin is yet to be approved.
The hold-up appears to lie mainly in the process set up to roll out a second tranche of funding, totalling $223 million, that formed part of the Albanese government’s original $535 million commitment.
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The NGA, along with the National Museum of Australia, Portrait Gallery, and National Library, must submit their maintenance needs to government twice a year. Those reports are sent onto the powerful Expenditure Review Committee before additional funding is granted.
However, ACT independent senator David Pocock has called on the federal government to fully fund the necessary repairs.
“A partial funding promise won’t protect the National Gallery’s … collection that belongs to all Australians,” he said on Thursday.
“Protecting the collection means fully funding complete repairs to the roof and windows at a bare minimum. Promising $500 million for our national cultural institutions then making them pitch for piecemeal funding has caused unacceptable delays.”
The full cost of repairs to the NGA building was assessed in 2023 to be $265 million over 10 years. Due diligence was needed to consider costs and extract the best value for taxpayers, according to government sources.
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“The gallery had been left underfunded for years until we came to government,” Arts Minister Tony Burke’s spokesperson said. “It will take some years to complete all the repairs, but the hard work has now started. The government has provided the gallery funding to commence roof repairs, with physical works expected to start in the first half of 2026.”
The delays come as the gallery experienced its most successful year for philanthropy in its history, raising $17.1 million of gifted artworks and $9.7 million in cash donations. “This exceptional support is enabling us to realise bold, ambitious projects that will shape the future of the National Gallery,” its annual report said. Philanthropists, however, are rarely interested in supporting building repairs.
The NGA said gallery visitors could expect temporary closures of some spaces as building rectification works are rolled out over four years.
“Repairing critical infrastructure to protect our heritage-listed building and the national collection is the National Gallery’s number one priority,” the gallery’s statement read.
“The gallery has comprehensive strategies in place to prevent water damage including careful exhibition planning, building management and conservation programs.”
In the 2023-24 budget the federal government provided the NGA with $42.4 million to deliver a range of capital repairs, including the $25 million for the skylights.
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