SYDNEY, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW) will receive a 244 million-Australian dollar (184-million-U.S. dollar) makeover, in a bid to transform the 19th century design into a "global museum of the future," the state government said Wednesday.
Nestled in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin said the redesign will double the gallery's size and expand the facility northward to the edge of the harbor.
Art gallery director Michael Brand expects this to allow for many more artworks in their collection to be displayed, as well as substantially increase the number of visitors.
Furthermore, the state government believes the upgrade will create greater opportunity to showcase artworks from around the globe.
"A percentage of the gallery's acquisition budget is invested in Asian art and there is already an established collection that the Art Gallery of NSW continues to grow," a spokesperson for NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin told Xinhua.
"With the additional floor space created through the Sydney Modern Project it is hoped that the Art Gallery of NSW will be able to attract and display more international art and exhibits from all countries, including China."
According to Art Gallery NSW board member, Ben Quilty, 100 million Australian dollars (75 million U.S. dollars) of private sector funding will be provided for the development, with the remaining amount coming from the public sector.
"This funding will ensure Australia's best art gallery is right here in Sydney," Harwin said
Construction is planned to begin in 2019 for completion in 2021, which will coincide with the 150th-anniversary of the gallery.
