The world-famous Burrell Collection reopens to the world in the spring of 2021 after a multi-million pound refurbishment. This new guidebook functions as both a memento and a tool for visitors as they peruse the galleries, which house tapestries, stained glass, Chinese art, French paintings, medieval sculpture and much more. It contains key objects and gallery highlights, offering visitors who require it more in depth information about the fantastic collection Sir William Burrell gave to his home city, Glasgow, in 1944. The opening essays illuminate the background story to this huge collection of over 9,000 objects, and touch on the building's history and recent redevelopment. The guidebook reflects the scope of the new galleries, helping to orient visitors further.
In 1944, Glaswegian ship owner Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady Burrell, left their outstanding collection of more than 6,000 objects to the City of Glasgow, passing ownership to its citizens for their enjoyment. By the time of Burrell?s death in 1958, it had grown to 9,000 objects, ranging from Neolithic Chinese pottery to works by Degas.0Sir William also left a sum of money for the construction of a building to house this gift. In 1983, the Collection?s stunning new home, designed by Barry Gasson, John Meunier and Brit Andresen, opened to the public, welcoming millions of visitors. The opening of the Collection signalled a cultural rebirth for the city, no longer seen as a gritty, hard, industrial city, but now a city of culture, of beauty, of heritage, hosting major events ranging from the Turner Prize to the Commonwealth Games.0The years took their toll on the fabric of the building, and at the end of 2016, the Burrell Collection closed for major refurbishment and redisplay. Now, after a closure of just over five years, there seems no more appropriate a time to reaffirm the importance of art and culture, philanthropy, beauty and heritage in determining and shaping the future health, wealth and wellbeing of our communities and our planet.0In this book the authors examine the role of such publicly funded buildings in our local communities as essential spaces, rather than luxuries, enabling creativity and collaboration, fostering debate and learning; the Burrell Collection?s place on the global museums stage; and the architectural significance of the building both when it was built and now. The essays are complemented by a selection of the Collection?s treasures
