Arts patrons continue to support the restoration of the Painted Hall at the Christopher Wren-designed Old Royal Naval College at the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London. Over the next three years, the ORNC's three-stage conservation project would clean and restore the remaining 3,700 sq.m. (approx. 40,000 sq.ft) of the Painted Hall, sometimes dubbed "the Sistine Chapel of the U.K." The first phase restored 560 sq.m. of paintings in the Upper Hall back in 2013. The second phase focuses on the Lower Hall, the Vestibule, and the semi-underground King William Undercroft directly beneath the Painted Hall.

Housed inside King William Court, the Painted Hall was originally built as a dining hall for British naval veterans who lived at the Royal Hospital for Seamen. Once the hall was built, English painter James Thornhill began his 19-year endeavor of painting the interior from 1708 to 1727. As instructed, Thornhill's paintings largely pay tribute to the British Navy and its "value to Britain's fortunes". However, the Painted Hall became "far too grand" for its original purpose once Thornhill completed his work.

According to the ORNC, Thornhill was paid £3 (or about $4.60) per square yard for the ceiling and about £1 per square yard for the walls. On the contrary, conserving his paintings today will cost an estimated £675 per square yard, or £75 per square foot.

Last November, the ORNC received a $4 million pledge from the U.K.'s Heritage Lottery Fund, but the ORNC states they will need up to an additional $6 million to fund the second phase. For anyone -- or any lucky architects out there -- that has some extra cash and wants donate to the effort, donations start at £75 for 1 sq.ft up to £4,800 for 64 sq.ft.

The restoration plan will be unveiled at an event in New York City on May 14. The ORNC will be searching for sponsors as well as big-ticket patrons and smaller, individual donations.