The Sainsbury Wing from the square

Compare the Sainsbury Wing’s stone frontage with Wilkins’s older building beside it. Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown designed the wing, which opened in 1991. Its changing arrangement of classical details responds to its neighbour without repeating the whole front. In 2025, Selldorf Architects with Purcell reworked the entrance and interior circulation. Clear glass replaced dark glazing, opening the foyer more visibly to the square. The stone facade was largely retained. The public space between the two buildings also gained new paving and benches. This is now the main arrival for the collection, so keep the entrance flow clear while comparing the architecture.