After extensive restoration works, the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens has re-opened to the public. The gallery contains the life work of Marianne North, a prolific artist who painted landscapes and natural habitats from all over the world. The gallery was purpose-built at her request and opened to the public for the first time in 1882, showcasing 833 of her paintings which include over 900 species of plants.

Speirs + Major has been honoured to be involved with the refurbishment works by providing lighting solutions to the gallery. This includes the illumination of the rooms and decorative frieze above the paintings as well as of the images themselves, using a custom developed fibre optic lighting system to minimise the impact of the lighting in a historic setting, while lending the paintings a natural and unobtrusive glow.

The exterior of the building was also sensitively lit in order to be seen in context with the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, the building next door, for when the gardens are open after dark.