Opening of transformed Holburne Museum
The newly transformed Holburne Museum was dramatically opened by the artist Peter Blake, following a £11.2million redevelopment funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The most striking aspect of the work is the creation of a sensational extension designed by Eric Parry which doubles the display space and provides new bespoke education facilities and top-lit galleries for temporary exhibitions.
Thanks to this the Holburne Museum will be able to continue its important work in offering high quality education opportunities to a wide range of visitors – from local school children to academic researchers.
The development has received almost universal acclaim from critics and visitors, with The Guardian’s Maev Kennedy in wonder at “…the spectacular Eric Parry designed ceramic and glass extension” whilst Richard Dorment in the Daily Telegraph described the extension as “stunning… a tour de force”.
The Holburne Museum’s re-opening exhibition displays the personal collection of and artwork by Sir Peter Blake - one the country’s most enduringly popular and important living artists.
“A Museum for Myself at the Holburne” will display many of the extraordinary objects from his collections alongside important works by Blake himself, and will explore the creative relationship that Blake has with this cabinet of curiosities.
They include such such strange and wonderful things as General Tom Thumb’s boots, Max Miller’s shoes and Ian Dury’s Rhythm Stick, as well as examples of Victorian collage and folk art, pop ephemera, works by his artist friends, showbiz autographs and marching troupes of toy elephants.
The Holburne Museum is housed in the Grade I listed Sydney Hotel, originally designed by Thomas Baldwin in 1794, and lying within the Grade II listed Sydney Gardens. The building was remodelled as a museum in 1913 by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
The most striking aspect of the work is the creation of a sensational extension designed by Eric Parry which doubles the display space and provides new bespoke education facilities and top-lit galleries for temporary exhibitions.
Thanks to this the Holburne Museum will be able to continue its important work in offering high quality education opportunities to a wide range of visitors – from local school children to academic researchers.
The development has received almost universal acclaim from critics and visitors, with The Guardian’s Maev Kennedy in wonder at “…the spectacular Eric Parry designed ceramic and glass extension” whilst Richard Dorment in the Daily Telegraph described the extension as “stunning… a tour de force”.
The Holburne Museum’s re-opening exhibition displays the personal collection of and artwork by Sir Peter Blake - one the country’s most enduringly popular and important living artists.
“A Museum for Myself at the Holburne” will display many of the extraordinary objects from his collections alongside important works by Blake himself, and will explore the creative relationship that Blake has with this cabinet of curiosities.
They include such such strange and wonderful things as General Tom Thumb’s boots, Max Miller’s shoes and Ian Dury’s Rhythm Stick, as well as examples of Victorian collage and folk art, pop ephemera, works by his artist friends, showbiz autographs and marching troupes of toy elephants.
The Holburne Museum is housed in the Grade I listed Sydney Hotel, originally designed by Thomas Baldwin in 1794, and lying within the Grade II listed Sydney Gardens. The building was remodelled as a museum in 1913 by Sir Reginald Blomfield.