The National Gallery’s announcement of an open competition for an architect-led team to design a £30m project is a rare burst of sunshine in this long winter of covid. The chance to get your hands on two of the country’s most important buildings is a mouthwatering opportunity.

When the news broke after a midnight embargo there were excited emails between engineers and architects saying, “Have you seen this?” You can almost hear the sharpening of pencils, although organiser Malcolm Reading tells us no design work is required. There won’t be too many architectural competitions of this size from cultural institutions in the foreseeable future.

The brief is – what else? – to “improve the visitor experience”, including remodelling Venturi Scott Brown’s Sainsbury Wing entrance and the way the western extension links with the main building along Trafalgar Square. The gallery also wants to create a research centre and perhaps sort out the circulation problems endured by the worst-connected back rooms, all to mark its bicentenary in 2024.

Most ambitiously of all director Gabriele Finaldi wants the project to be “part of the healing of our country” after the catastrophic effects of covid-19 on the arts.

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