The National Gallery today announced new security measures, with plans to ban visitors from bringing almost all liquids into its galleries.
The restrictions, due to come into effect from 10am on 18 October, will apply to all liquids except baby formula, expressed milk and prescription medicines. The move follows a number of protests involving works on display at the gallery by campaign groups Just Stop Oil and Youth Demand, including two in the past two weeks.
A statement from the gallery said: “Following recent incidents within the Gallery it is now necessary to introduce increased security measures to ensure the safety of all those who visit, National Gallery staff and the nation’s collection of paintings.
“Free access to the National Gallery allows everyone to be inspired by humanity’s greatest achievements. The collection we hold is irreplaceable and with each attack we have been forced to consider putting more barriers between the people and their artworks to preserve these fragile objects for future generations.
“Unfortunately, we have now reached a point where we have been forced to act to protect our visitors, staff and collection.”
The statement goes on to warn visitors against bringing large bags with them to the gallery, and highlights the use of walk-through metal detectors and bag inspections. It also confirms that the gallery anticipates visitors will have to wait longer than usual to enter.
“We are sorry that visitors are, for the time being, not going to receive the welcome we would very much like to extend to them, but we hope that they understand why it is necessary for us to do this,” the statement concludes.
The move comes less than a week after an open letter from the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC)—of which Gabriele Finaldi, the National Gallery’s director, is a member—called on campaigners to end attacks on artworks, describing them as “hugely damaging to the reputation of UK museums”.
“[These protests] cause enormous stress for colleagues at every level of an organisation, along with visitors who now no longer feel safe visiting the nation’s finest museums and galleries,” the letter continued.
Since July 2022, the National Gallery has experienced five separate protests involving artworks. Most recently on 27 September, when Just Stop Oil activists hurled tomato soup at two Sunflowers works by Vincent van Gogh and 10 October, when members of Youth Demand covered a work by Picasso with a photograph of a Gazan mother and child.
“Such attacks have caused physical damage to the artworks, distress to visitors and staff alike, and disruption to our mission to ensure great art is available for everyone, everywhere to enjoy,” the gallery said in a statement.
Earlier this week Just Stop Oil and Youth Demand issued their own open letter to the NMDC, in which they called on members to meet them in a public space within the National Gallery. Promising to “leave the soup at home”, the letter said: “These actions cause small amounts of damage and disruption in order to bring to attention the enormous damage and destruction that our government is supporting.
“We note that your statement does not acknowledge the climate emergency or your responsibilities as custodians of our national treasures…People disrupt museum and gallery spaces to break the illusion that everything is fine. We need institutions to confront their responsibilities at this time—head on.”