We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of New South Wales stands.

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Art Gallery of NSW institutional archive

Walter Vernon’s design for National Art Gallery

  • Temporary closure

    Our research library and archive is relocating to a new purpose-built, expanded facility within the building, which means that the collections will be inaccessible for several months.

    We apologise for this disruption to our service but look forward to assisting you in person and remotely in our new premises.

    No reference enquiries by phone or online
    From 7 November 2020 until mid 2022

    No access to the library and archive
    From 12 December 2020 until mid 2022

    In the meantime, see our research tools

The Art Gallery of NSW archive holds the administrative records of the Gallery from the 1870s to the present day. These can be grouped in the following categories:

  • The Trust – includes minutes, reports, resolutions, etc

  • The Directorate – includes appointment records and director reports and papers

  • Correspondence – includes government, foreign, general and acquisition correspondence

  • Finance and administration – includes ledgers, cash books, insurance records, sale books, audit records, etc

  • Visitors – includes copy and visitor books

  • Exhibitions – includes exhibition files, installation photographs, proposals, etc

  • Prizes and scholarships – includes the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, travelling scholarships, etc

  • Acquisition, registration and deaccession – includes accession registers, location registers, journals, worksheets, wills and bequests, outward and inward loan registers, copyright, deaccession registers, etc

  • Conservation – includes reports, ledgers, etc

  • Photographs – archival photographs of the building, collection and staff

  • The building – includes architectural plans and drawings, etc

For a complete listing of each category, you’ll need to consult the three-volume guide in the library.