THE National Gallery of Australia will welcome people back through its doors from Tuesday, June 2.

The re-opening comes a day after federal arts minister Paul Fletcher’s announcement that galleries can re-open with up to 20 visitors at a time.

NGA director Nick Mitzevich says: “Art has been a salvation for many people in these uncertain times and we know immersion in art and culture will play an important role in bringing our local and national community back together.”

Mitzevich assured the public that a controlled environment would preserve the health and well-being of visitors.

Safety measures will include timed entry, a 20-person limit in galleries, sanitiser stations throughout the building, additional cleaning and the closure of small exhibition spaces. Visitors to the gallery will also need to pre-register for a timed ticketing session.

Guests will follow a sign-posted route of the exhibitions “Belonging: Stories of Australian Art” and “Xu Zhen®: Eternity vs Evolution,” as well as the international art collection display, but other exhibitions and displays will be closed for now.

Visitors will also be asked to provide their first name and contact number, which will only be used should contact tracing be required.

Mitzevich conceded that the new way of sharing art would require a little adjustment.

“We ask for your understanding during this time. The important thing is we all play our part to protect each other and the community as together we reinvigorate Australia’s vibrant cultural and creative sector.”