On 24 May 1874, the first purpose built gallery, known as the McArthur Gallery, opened in the McArthur room of the State Library, and the following year, the Museum of Art was renamed the National Gallery of Victoria.[1] The McArthur Gallery was only ever intended as a temporary home until the much grander vision was to be realised.[6] However such an edifice did not eventuate and the complex was instead developed incrementally over several decades.