IF you pop in on the Canberra Museum and Gallery for one of the best coffees in town or to look at one of its many exhibitions – don’t get a shock, the doors will be closed this time next week –  but not for long.

CMAG will close to the public from  Monday, March 27 to Friday, May 12, inclusive, to allow for a major upgrade of its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

In the meantime, patrons can see the exhibition of vintage racing bikes from the collection of Peter Taylor, the Foundation Collection, “Glass alphabet”, curated by Mel George, in the ramp showcase, and the Nolan collection.

“We have worked closely with the team delivering the project to minimise the period that CMAG needs to be closed to the public,” says CMAG director, Shane Breynard, who notes that the air-conditioning system is over 20 years old and increasingly expensive to maintain.

Breynard says the new system will allow them to reduce overall energy use and benefit more fully from the ACT’s move to source 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

CMAG will reopen with a new survey exhibition of the work of glass art, “Kirstie Rea the land: a 20 year survey”, a tribute to one of the real stayers of the Canberra region arts community, on Saturday, May 13.

All information at cmag.com.au/events/temporary-closure-27-mar-12-may-2017