Kamini Purushothaman, Contributing Photographer

After two years of closure renovations, the Yale Center for British Art will reopen to the public on March 29 with more sustainable lighting and infrastructure, a reimagined presentation of its permanent collection and a renewed commitment to creating a welcoming space for the Yale and New Haven community.

Visitors can also expect two new exhibitions — “J. M. W. Turner: Romance and Reality” and “Tracey Emin: I Loved You Until The Morning” — which together span centuries of British visual culture.

“I’m hoping this is a new beginning,” said Martina Droth, who was appointed director of the YCBA in January. “I feel the time has come for us to reintroduce audiences to our amazing holdings.”

In its entirety, the renovations cost $16.5 million.

The YCBA replaced 6,500 feet of lighting tracks as part of its renovations, the first update to the lighting system since the 1970s. Switching from halogen lights to LEDs makes the museum’s lighting system 60 percent more energy-efficient.

The News walked through the renovated galleries early Thursday alongside George Knight, the architect responsible for the changes to the YCBA. 

According to Knight, one of the priorities throughout the renovation was to improve the building while maintaining the vision put forth by Louis Kahn, the original architect of the building.

“We’re seeing brand-new track lighting, brand-new fixtures, and then the rooftop itself has a whole new membrane system,” said Knight.

Inside the building, many infrastructural elements were updated and improved, many of which had not been replaced since their original installation.

The unique windows, specifically designed to diffuse light throughout the galleries while not damaging the works, were replaced to better align with current art conservation standards.

“This is really still a handmade building,” said Knight, regarding the goals to preserve the original techniques and styles laid out for the gallery. 

Beyond the gallery space, the improvements to the building extend into the Center’s pedagogical areas, including the large atriums, which Kahn designed with Roman construction in mind, the reading room and the lecture hall.

Despite the building’s modern alterations, the original layout and designs of the building, as brainstormed by Kahn and Yale faculty, are preserved and visible all throughout the space.

The display of the YCBA’s permanent art collection has also undergone a significant transformation. 

The new fourth-floor exhibition extends from the 16th century to the present. Displayed in chronological order for the first time, it invites viewers to trace the evolution of British art.

“That’s the story of art,” Droth said. “It doesn’t end.”

Lucinda Lax, curator of paintings and sculpture, said that the fourth floor traditionally showed only the historical collection. Now, it unites the historic with the contemporary.

The new chronological display has a “global flavor” that exemplifies the shared histories and legacies of British art, said Lax. She added that visitors can choose where in the exhibit to begin; they’re free to start in the past or present.

“It’s visually exciting to see the change in styles and take that journey through time,” said Lax. “We are not prescribing a route. It’s there to be flexible and there to be enjoyed.”

Another priority of the renovations was to emphasize enjoyment — for all visitors. 

When asked about her vision for the YCBA, Droth said that she wants to create an inviting and accessible space for visitors regardless of their background or familiarity with British art, adding that the gallery’s “actions will speak louder than words.”

Droth said that the YCBA must work to “overcome barriers,” especially because its name does not make it obvious that the space is a museum.

For Droth, this includes adding Spanish language guides and the continuation of programs like “The View From Here,” which gives students from New Haven’s public high schools a chance to learn the foundations of photography.

She said that she hopes to foster communication between the YCBA and schools, other local institutions and leaders who can better integrate the center into the city.

“I’m hoping that all the different actions will cumulatively add up to a message that says everyone is welcome,” Droth said.

For Yale President Maurie McInnis, the YCBA has long been an inviting space. McInnis, who received her masters’ and doctoral degrees from Yale’s History of Art department, said that entering the YCBA feels like “visiting with old friends.” 

She added that she spent “countless hours with the museum’s extraordinary collection” during her time as a graduate student, when she curated her first exhibition ever — at the YCBA.

Upon its reopening, McInnis said that she was excited to see how Droth — an “integral part of the museum for nearly two decades” — would lead the center. 

“When we conducted a global search for the best leader to take the helm of the YCBA, we quickly realized that the ideal candidate was already right here on campus,” McInnis wrote in an email.

Now, she is looking forward to walking through the newly-renovated center and discovering what Droth and the rest of the team has accomplished, McInnis said. 

Dozens of students have already received a brief glimpse of the renovated space by attending its “Night at the Museum” event on Thursday night. The official opening will include activities throughout Saturday and Sunday. 

The YCBA has been closed since February 2023.

Correction, April 1: A previous version of the article misstated the renovation cost as $33 million. In fact, it was $16.5 million. The LED upgrade makes the lighting system, not the entire building, nearly 60 percent more energy efficient. The gallery windows were not replaced with LEDs, but with updated panels to meet current conservation standards.