The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) will open a special exhibition today (2 November) to celebrate more than two decades of leadership under Sir Timothy Clifford, who is to step down from the post of director general in January.

Choice: 21 Years of Collecting for Scotlandbrings together more than 500 objects acquired by Clifford during his time with the NGS.

The works – which will be on display at the Royal Scottish Academy Building in Edinburgh – range from ancient Roman sarcophagi and drawings by Raphael to Allan Ramsay portraits and paintings by Damian Hirst.

Clifford said: “I adore these collections which have given me such infinite pleasure and I hope that they will give the public, the owners of these works, equal delight.”

John Leighton, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, has been appointed as the new director general of the NGS.

Previously curator at the National Gallery in London and lecturer at the Edinburgh College of Art, Leighton will take up the post in March 2006.

He is currently working with the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, on a major exhibition in February 2006, which will feature the works of Rembrandt and Caravaggio.

Clifford – who will retire from the NGS after his 60th birthday – has revealed plans to conduct a series of talks at New York University. He is also keen to set up an institute in Umbria, Italy, which will look into the relationship between fine arts and the decorative arts. Details: www.natgalscot.ac.uk

Photograph: Sir Timothy Clifford