A VOLUNTEER guide celebrating his 91st birthday was the first visitor through the doors of Glasgow’s revamped Burrell Collection today.
Campbell McGovern had the surprise of his life when he learned he was to be at the head of the queue.
The retired pharmacist, who lives in Newton Mearns, helped run guided tours at the Burrell before its closure six years ago for a £68m revamp.
His family had arranged the special birthday treat with Glasgow Life, the charity which runs the city museum – but the big question everyone wanted to know the answer to was: what did he think of the new look?
“Ask me after I have had a look round,” said Campbell, with a twinkle in his eye.
The A-listed home of The Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park reopened as a “modern, greener museum” with more of the objects and artworks on display than ever before.
Sir William Burrell and his wife, Lady Constance, devoted more than 75 years of their lives to amassing one of the world’s greatest personal art collections, renowned for its quality of Chinese art, exquisite stained glass and intricate tapestries.
The doors opened at 10am on Tuesday (March 29), and a small crowd, including local residents, nursery schoolchildren and visitors from further afield cheered and applauded as an emotional Wendy Meyer, assistant museum manager, announced: “Welcome to the Burrell Collection – welcome back.”
Inside, Wendy admitted: “I feel ecstatic. I have waited so long for this. I came here to the original opening on my 13th birthday, and never imagined I would one day work here. So yes, it is very emotional.
“This was the first museum I ever visited with my mum, and it inspired me to study art – I did silversmithing and gemology – but also, because Burrell collected around the world, it inspired me to travel.”
After 15 years travelling the world, Wendy came back to Glasgow. “I missed home,” she said. “When the assistant museum manager job came up, I jumped at the chance.
“ I’m proud to be from Glasgow, and while I was travelling I always encouraged the people I met to visit the city. And this is one of the places I am most proud of.”
She smiled: “I have goosebumps standing here to day, watching people come in and start to connect with the place again, and seeing the museum through their eyes.
“Now it’s their stories, about the collection and the impact it has had on them, we want to hear.”
Fluttering leaves ‘falling’ on to paintings in the Central Galleries, clever mirrors that allow you to ‘dress up’ in period costume and big-screen knights suddenly appearing on nearby wall screens captivated some of the museum’s youngest visitors on opening day.
Martha, aged five, said: “It’s amazing. I’m amazed. I like the building. It’s my favourite. I have been to lots of museums.”
Gabe, who is three, demonstrated considerable touch-screen technology skills, and added: “This is fun.”
Daniel, aged four, said he would come back to the Burrell and added: “I would like to see a golden dinosaur but I don’t know if they have one. I might be a bit nervous answering questions. But I like this place.”
The trio were part of a 14-strong group visiting from Woodland Outdoor Kindergarten, a nursery based in Pollok Park.
Director Debbie Simmers said: “The children are super-excited to be here today. We have watched the building works over the years, and while it’s been closed they have been able to peek through the windows and see everything covered up, looking very mysterious. Now to see it all up close is amazing, it brings it all to life.”
She added: “It’s great to see how much more child-friendly it is – before, we didn’t like to come in much at all, as it was covered in carpets, and we’d all have our wellies on. Now though, it’s so much more welcoming.”
A small group of protesters, objecting to the “lack of funding for local essential services and venues in Glasgow whilst £69m was found to open the Burrell collection” gathered outside shortly after the doors opened.
Glasgow Against Closures are demanding the “re-opening of all Glasgow’s cultural assets.”
In the café later, Campbell McGovern’s daughter Ros explained how much the Burrell means to her dad.
“He was a volunteer for many years, and he was heartbroken when it closed for renovation, because he knew it was unlikely he’d be able to resume the job when it finally reopened,” she said. “Dad has an incredible brain – he was a pharmacist but went back to university in his 50s. Through self-study he learned about art, and he gave talks and lectures here. I remember one on Cezanne, which he did without any notes, and he was in his 80s at the time.”
READ MORE: Burrell Collection: 10 objects on display for first time in a generation
She added: “He used to tell us so many great stories about William Burrell, and how he had to move from Glasgow’s west end to Hutton Castle to make room for everything he had bought. He really loves this place, and to be first in the door today is fantastic.”
Campbell said: “I have no one special favourite item, really – it’s the whole collection I love. It’s so diverse.”
He added, with a laugh: “And yes, I am impressed. This is a special place - we are very lucky to have it in Glasgow.”
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