WORLD-famous city museum The Burrell Collection will re-open in March following an ambitious multi-million pound redevelopment.
It is almost five years since the building in Pollok Country Park closed its doors.
Glasgow Life confirmed today that more than 15,000 people were involved in the consultation surrounding the improvement works, which will increase the space open to visitors by 35 per cent and allow items not seen in public for decades to go on display.
Building work begain in 2018 with repairs to the roof and the installation of modern glazing aimed at making the building more energy efficient. A new entrance will bring visitors straight into the heart of the building and a newly created central stairway will encourage people to explore all three floors for the first time. The outdoor green space has also been enhanced, creating new links between the museum and the park.
The refurbishment of the A-listed building, which first opened in 1983, cost £68.25 million and was funded by Glasgow City Council with significant contributions from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Scottish Government, the UK Government, and from many generous trusts and private donors.
Councillor David McDonald, Chairperson of Glasgow Life and Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “It’s wonderful to see that the installation of Sir William’s precious, beautiful and intriguing Collection has begun, now the delicate refurbishment of its home is almost at an end. This major refurbishment and redisplay will celebrate Sir William’s outstanding gift to the city and ensures it is at the heart of Glasgow’s cultural identity for the future, and having much more of The Collection on display and accessible will be one of its immediate successes.
“Sir William’s incredible legacy will help Glasgow and Scotland’s recovery from Covid-19, bringing increased pride and confidence, which has a tangible effect on our wellbeing. As we move out of a pandemic, that is vital.”
READ MORE: 'Greatest gift to Glasgow' - Burrell Collection marks 75th anniversary
Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, Dr Bridget McConnell, CBE, said: “March 2022 will mark a historic milestone in Glasgow’s story, as the completely refurbished Burrell Collection reopens to the world. Very soon, thanks to all the project’s funders, these wonderful works of art, which Sir William Burrell gave to the people of Glasgow, will be enjoyed in a modern, green museum, fit for purpose and for the future.”
Sir William Burrell devoted more than 75 years of his life to amassing one of the world’s greatest personal collections of art, which he donated to Glasgow in 1944. Highlights include one of the most significant collections of Chinese Art in Europe; paintings by renowned French artists including Manet, Cézanne and Degas; medieval treasures including stained glass, arms and armour and the Wagner Garden carpet, one of the three earliest surviving Persian garden carpets in the world which will now be on permanent display for the first time.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here