Our organisation

The Gallery was established by the National Gallery of Ireland Act 1854. Since then, there have been a number of subsequent amending Acts providing for the administration of the institution and further defining its functions, namely, the National Gallery of Ireland Acts (1854-1963) and the National Cultural Institutions Acts (1997-2023). Under its statutes, oversight of the affairs of the Gallery is entrusted to a Board of Governors and Guardians (the ‘Board’). The statutes provide for a post of a Director, who is appointed by the Board, and is responsible for the operation of the institution.

An autonomous national cultural institution, the Gallery operates under the aegis of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The activities of the the National Gallery of Ireland are provided by four key divisions: Audience Development & Stakeholder Engagement, Collections and Research; and Corporate Services.