Director Edmund Capon finishes his 33-year stint at the helm of the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) on Friday.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has congratulated Mr Capon and wished him well on his retirement, saying he had turned the gallery into an internationally renowned hub of excellence and diversity.
"During his tenure he has been both the public face of the gallery and the driving force for its development and improvement behind the scenes," Mr O'Farrell said.
Mr Capon's acquisitions for the gallery meant it now had a collection worth $841 million, the premier said.
The acquisitions included works by Picasso, Cezanne, Sidney Nolan, John Olsen and Cy Twombly.
Mr Capon had also overseen a number of blockbuster shows including the current Picasso exhibition.
Tourism minister George Souris said since Mr Capon's appointment in 1978 visitors to the gallery had increased more than four fold, attracting 1.3 million people last year alone.
The state government is in the final stages of recruiting a new director following a national and international search.
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