Exterior
Large but disciplined building complex in a striking modernist idiom based on a harmonious composition of simple geometric forms. Main galleries built in two phases and stepped around an internal courtyard, with shop and restaurant block to one side, and administrative range to the other. Reinforced concrete construction, with light grey brick walling and white painted fascias to flat roofs, and extensive areas of glazing. The contrast of solid walls and glazing is an important element of the design.
South gallery block comprises main entrance range of 15 structural bays (part of the second phase of construction), articulated on the ground floor by concrete pillars dividing a glazed wall, and by projecting concrete beams above the ground floor, supporting the cantilevered upper storey. This comprises blank panels of plain brickwork, with a continuous narrow band of windows beneath the projecting flat roof, broken only by a series of projecting beams. These support the roof and a set-back clerestory, which is continuously glazed and has a similar projecting roof. The present entrance is marked by a tent-like canopy (an addition of 1990).
To the right of this block, the return wall of the costume Gallery is expressed as a full height blank brick panel in line with the ground floor of the main block, but stepped back from the cantilevered upper storey. The ground floor of this range was part of the first phase of development, completed in its present form in the second phase. Beyond it, the administrative block comprises a lower two storey range (also part of the first phase) with an added wing (1974-6) projecting forward of the main range to the right. It has bands of windows to the ground floor, and a cantilevered upper storey with continuous bands of windows beneath the prominent flat roof. Similar arrangement to long return elevation and rear, beyond which is a contemporary service courtyard, incorporating the original store and gallery building of 1954, a simple framed structure, faced in brick and with a shallow curved roof.
The main gallery block is built around an internal courtyard: here, the rear elevation of the south range is similar to its front elevation. To the east the Costume Gallery range is blank brickwork panels with prominent flat roof, whilst the west wing (the main access to the site) is a series of stepped and interlocking blocks descending towards the rear exit to the main site (where the effect is marred by a ramp and UPVC conservatory added in 1990). Each of these blocks comprises continuous glazing between concrete pillars supporting the flat roofs. Rear range (Oriel 1 - the Material Culture Gallery) was part of the original gallery block, and comprises blank brickwork panels with three narrow vertical windows, and clerestory glazing divided by the projecting joists that support the roof; further clerestory set back with similar detail. This arrangement is substantially repeated in the rear elevation of this range but without windows. The courtyard itself is ramped between terraces, with a sunken cobbled area intended originally as a pool.
Set back to the left of the main block is the restaurant and shop area (completed in 1976 but extended on two floors to the west in 1989). Glazed ground-floor divided by concrete pillars surmounted by deep projecting flat roof, a forward extension from the original building line, resulting in the upper floor (the restaurant) now being stepped back from the front elevation. It comprises 7 bays of continuous glazing with a grid of windows, articulated by the projecting beams that support the prominent roof. Rear lacks the upper storey set-back, and has a simpler solid form, lightened by continuous bands of fenestration wrapped round both elevations to ground floor, with banded fenestration piercing solid brick panels above, and clerestory glazing to kitchen area. Ground floor links to a service and toilet block projecting to the front of the main building line. This was added in 1990-91, but adopts a somewhat similar idiom, with largely blank walling and a projecting flat roof.