In Order to attend to the day-to-day maintenance of galleries, set up temporary and permanent exhibitions in Chennai and Districts, a Design and Display Section was created in the Chennai Museum in the year 1980 AD.

The main functions of the Design and Display Section are as follows:

Organising New District Museums
As per the Government policy, museums are set up at district headquarters. The Design and Display Section of the Chennai Museum do the planning and establishment of new district museums.

 Re-organisation of Galleries
The Government Museum, Chennai has 58 galleries and the galleries are being modernised at regular intervals. The Design and Display Section collaborates with those sections, which need re-organising the galleries. The district museums also re-organise their galleries in consultation with the Design and Display Section.

Exhibitions
Exhibitions are being organised in the Government Museum, Chennai as well as outside the museum on special occasions. Design and Display Section collaborates with other sections in organising these exhibitions.

Maintenance of Galleries
The Government Museum, Chennai is one of the biggest Museums in India. Many of its galleries are made up of wooden showcases and maintenance of showcases is a major work in the museum. The Design and Display Section are taking up maintenance of the showcases regularly. New type of showcases made of aluminium intrusions &octonorm intrusions on par with international standards & Modern illumination arrangements are being introduced in the galleries.

Research Guidance
Design and Display Section helps the students of architecture in their project works by providing the necessary facilities.

Outreach Services
The Government Museum, Chennai guides the different educational institutions and other organisations, which approach it for the reorganisation of museums and galleries in their institutions.