The Chrysler Museum of Art in Virginia, US, has closed its main gallery as it begins a US$24m (18.36m euro, £14.97m) expansion and renovation project.

A key component of the renovation, which is scheduled for completion in April 2014, is the replacement of outdated temperature control systems - vital for protecting and conserving the museum's collection.

Two new wings, totalling 8,000 sq ft (743 sq m), will flank the museum's entrance adding to its current space of 210,000 sq ft (19,510 sq m).

Other facilities added during the refurbishment will include Wi-Fi access in every gallery, improved disability access and an expanded café that will open beyond museum hours.

During construction the museum's glass studio and Moses Myers House will remain open and the Norfolk History Museum will be converted into a new gallery dedicated to American art.

The museum's collection of more than 30,000 pieces of art will be safeguarded during the construction process, with many being displayed at other galleries in Virginia.

Highlights of the museum collection include Renaissance panel paintings, early modernist canvases by the likes of Matisse and Braque, and one of the world's largest and most comprehensive collections of objects.