The National Gallery

Creating a world-class visitor experience that seamlessly integrates digital technology, content, wayfinding and architecture for one of the world’s greatest art museums.

A photograph of the 10 metre wide, 3 metre tall ultra high resolution screen displaying the painting The Ansidei Madonna by Raphael in the National Gallery Sainsbury Wing. Four people are looking at the screen.

In 2025, to celebrate its 200th anniversary, the National Gallery opened a redesigned Sainsbury Wing. We led the strategic digital design programme behind the new visitor experience.

The experience begins outside the Gallery, with a pair of digital totems flanking the entrance. Standing just under three metres tall, they are the first digital screens to be installed in Trafalgar Square. The totems present inclusive welcome messages to attract visitors crossing the square, share key opening and closing information, and promote major exhibitions.

A photograph of a man walking past a digital totem outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square
Exterior digital wayfinding in Trafalgar Square

We designed a new gallery map experience for visitors as they enter the Sainsbury Wing. The map was redrawn and optimised for accessibility on a micro LED display. An animated legend highlights key paintings, grouped by the movements at the heart of the collection. A QR code connects visitors to free gallery Wi-Fi and to an optimised mobile version of the map.

A photograph of the digital map in the Sainsbury Wing entrance in the National Gallery. The screen is 3 metres high and approximately 1.8 metres wide. In front of the screens are several visitors. Two visitors are taking photos of the map with their phones.
The digital map in the National Gallery Sainsbury Wing entrance

We created a new large information screen to support the staff at the information desk and to present key membership, ticketing, and guide details to visitors at a distance. Optimised for micro LED, the screen is updated regularly by internal staff through a responsive template.

A photograph of the Information desk in the Sainsbury Wing entrance of the National Gallery. A woman sits at the desk helping a visitor with an enquiry. Behind her is a screen 3 metres high and approximately 1.8 metres wide. The screen displays membership and exhibition information and ticket prices.
The information screen behind the desk in the National Gallery Sainsbury Wing entrance

A 10x3m screen sits on the far wall, directly facing visitors as they enter the new wing. With over 50 million pixels, it anchors a digital canvas that extends across the adjacent map and information screens. The design carries colour schemes and artworks across surfaces to create a balanced, harmonious experience. We developed more than 90 minutes of content for this canvas — ranging from ultra high-resolution journeys through paintings, to concise cheat sheets demystifying art movements in under 50 words, to slow-looking films offering a behind-the-scenes view of the gallery.

A photograph of the 10 metre wide, 3 metre tall ultra high resolution screen displaying a behind the scenes video in the National Gallery Sainsbury Wing. A woman is standing in front of the screen.
The 50 million pixel digital canvas in the National Gallery Sainsbury Wing entrance

We designed a digital wayfinding totem positioned at the bottom of the Sainsbury Wing stairs — a critical journey decision point. The screen clearly directs visitors up or down to a special exhibition or to see the National Collection. Its content and styling are integrated with the printed totem to ensure a seamless design language across both mediums.

A photograph of a digital wayfinding totem next to the printed wayfinding totem at the bottom of the staircase in the Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery. A man in a wheelchair and a woman standing next to him are looking at the signage.
Digital and physical wayfinding work in tandem at the National Gallery

We created a system for lift screens to display a series of information panels — from food & drink and retails options, to membership offers and special exhibition promotions. The system is maintained by internal staff following simple rules and templates, ensuring clarity and consistency across all messaging.

A photograph of a digital screen mounted in portrait orientation on the stone wall inside the Sainsbury Wing at the National Galley. The screen displays a list of places to eat and drink at the Gallery, organised by floor.
Interior digital wayfinding beside the lifts in the Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery

Over three years we worked closely with the Director’s Office, as well as curatorial, marketing, design, digital, and IT teams.

We spent extensive time on the ground to understand the needs of all stakeholders.

We ran workshops with visitors and internal teams to explore the implications of different design solutions.

We developed strategic tools to guide the work, including micro-journeys, content frameworks, and service blueprints.

We tested display technologies and contributed to the hardware commissioning process.

We produced all assets—static, motion, and code—and programmed the playback schedule.

We created templates and guidelines, and ran training sessions for the internal team to ensure long-term sustainability.

A collection of sketches, diagrams and photos we created during the research and strategy phases of the project.
Responsibilities
  • Research
  • Strategy
  • Concept Design
  • Design Detailing
  • Prototyping
  • Hardware consultation
  • Animation
  • Graphic Production
  • Code development
  • Guidelines
  • Templates
  • Training
← Back to projects Next project: London Museum →