The first artists' impressions of the revamp of the Burrell Collection have been unveiled.

The images have been released two days after the Glasgow art gallery and museum closed its doors to the public to enable work to begin on an estimated £60m to £66m refurbishment.

The designs reveal plans to modernise and improve the visitor experience while retaining the architectural integrity of the Category A listed building.

The collection includes rare examples of medieval stained glass, tapestries and sculptures, ancient Chinese ceramics, bronzes and jades, Islamic pile carpets and French paintings.

It is hoped the overhaul of the building's interior will enable a greater proportion of the collection to be accessible to the public.

As well as providing increased access to the collection, including to the lower ground floor stores, improved facilities will include a cafe with access from the park at ground level, enhanced retail opportunities, and landscaped terraces linking the museum to its parkland setting.

Sir Angus Grossart, chairman of Burrell Renaissance said: "The designs will see the museum undergo the most comprehensive modernisation since opening to international acclaim in 1983.

"The proposals will deliver the high quality and innovative solutions for this exciting project.

"We expect to be able to show previously unseen works from this rich collection, and strengthen the reach of this extraordinary world-class museum."

Glasgow City Council deputy leader Archie Graham said: "Sir William Burrell's legacy has been described as the greatest gift a city has ever received and we have a moral duty to ensure it is housed in the finest of buildings.

"Having seen the early design concepts, I've no doubt we will create an outstanding museum space, which reveals the incredible beauty, quality and depth of the collection.

"The Burrell Collection is a masterpiece and the refurbished and re-displayed museum will be one of Scotland's finest cultural assets."

The Burrell Collection is scheduled to reopen in 2020. Glasgow City Council has agreed to fund up to 50% of the overall project cost with the UK Government awarding an additional £5m.