This summer, curators from the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) have revealed the inner workings of the museum’s Permanent Collection by converting the entire lower exhibition hall into a temporary research lab while undertaking a full evaluation of the artwork. The exhibition, All Access, gives visitors the rare chance to view over 170 artworks and join curators as they assess the condition of each work.

On Tuesday, 25 August, NGCI will host All Access — Late Night, with opening hours extended until 8:00pm. Curators and educators will be on hand to talk about the history of the collection, the environmental conditions and conservation requirements needed for long-term care, as well as future plans for increased interpretation and scholarship. Visitors are also invited to engage in a series of study stations, which include learning how to complete a condition report (assessing the condition of an artwork) and researching collection care and management. The popular documentary Caymanian Art: A New Frontier, by young local filmmaker Ernst Jacob Olde VI, will also be screened during the evening. This 20-minute documentary traces the development of the gallery’s permanent collection and explores its diverse range of artists.

In addition, All Access — Late Night will coincide with the NGCI’s teacher appreciation evening where educators are invited to tour the premises and learn about the NGCI’s free educational resources.

The All Access — Late Night will be held on Tuesday, 25 July from 5:00pm — 8:00pm, with tours of the exhibition held each hour on the hour.

The exhibition runs until 3 September.