BURRELL REFURBISHMENT PACKAGE BACKED BY GLASGOW CITY
COUNCIL
Ambitious plans for a full refurbishment and redisplay of the Burrell Collection took a
step closer after Glasgow City Council approved the next stage in funding for the
development.
The move follows a major master planning exercise, which outlined plans which will
see more than 90 per cent of the 9,000-strong collection on display (more than four
times what is currently on display), the basement stores opened to the public for the
first time and a new, central core which will greatly increase access to the many
treasures collected by Sir William Burrell. There will also be improved café and retail
opportunities and a new, civic events space outside.
The building which houses the Burrell Collection is in urgent need of refurbishment.
Galleries have been closed because of danger of damage to objects and paintings
as a result of water ingress. Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life and Burrell
Renaissance have been examining options for a refurbishment and redisplay of the
collection – securing its home for generations to come and honouring the city’s debt
to Sir William, who spent more than 75 years of his life amassing one of the world’s
finest, single personal collections.
The master plan has produced the first detailed estimated costs for the project, with
the figure expected to be in the region of £60 - £66 million. The Council has been
asked to fund up to 50 per cent of the total cost, with the remainder split between the
Heritage Lottery Fund (£15 million application lodged), a fundraising campaign and
grants from other public bodies.
The plans will see the Category A-listed building retain its impressive architectural
footprint and façade in Pollok Country Park, but after the refurbishment, a major
overhaul of the roof, building fabric, interior and ageing plant, will create an entirely
new experience for visitors.
The building will also be an exemplar of sustainability, transforming it from a building
that has a large carbon footprint, into an energy efficient, modern museum. The
refurbished building will meet a significant portion of future energy requirements by
using renewable sources, both within the building and the wider country park.
Councillor Archie Graham, the Chair of Glasgow Life and Depute Leader of Glasgow
City Council, said: “Sir William devoted more than 75 years of his life amassing one
of the world’s finest, single personal collections – and he gave it all to Glasgow. We
have a moral duty to protect and enhance what is undoubtedly the jewel in our
cultural crown by providing a newly refurbished home which is worthy of its worldclass status.
“Glasgow is Scotland’s cultural powerhouse and the Council’s decision to support
these ambitious plans, demonstrates yet again the city’s commitment to our
outstanding cultural heritage.”
Sir Angus Grossart, the Chair of Burrell Renaissance, said: “We have been working
hard to open out the great potential of the Burrell Collection and place Sir William’s
great gift on a global stage. It is also of great importance that we provide a home
worthy of these great treasures. The Council’s decision is yet another, very positive,
step as we carry forward the torch handed to us by Sir William and seek to place his
extraordinary collection within the international context which it deserves.”
Sir Peter Hutchison, who chairs the Burrell Trustees, said: “The trustees very much
welcome the forthcoming refurbishment, which will transform the Burrell building and
provide a fitting context for this extraordinary collection. New gallery space will be
created, a wider range of objects displayed, facilities upgraded, and any structural
defects, such as the roof, remedied. This is a very heartening development – and
one which I have no doubt would have been met with welcome approval from Sir
William.”
During any closure, an exhibition of objects will be on display at Kelvingrove Art
Gallery & Museum allowing continued access to citizens and visitors alike. To unlock
the great potential of the collection and use it to promote Glasgow as one of the
world’s great cultural cities, an international tour will showcase the collection to some
of the world’s finest institutions, increasing awareness of Sir William’s gift and
leveraging opportunities for fundraising toward the cost of the refurbishment.
At a recent exhibition of some of the finest works at Bonhams in London, Neil
Macgregor, the Director of the British Museum, said that the works on display were
equal to any in the British Museum, National Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum.
As well as committing to the overall funding profile and estimated costs, the
Council’s Executive Committee today (Thursday) approved an initial £5 million in
capital costs to progress the first stage of project, allowing detailed design
development, including intrusive surveys to assess the true condition of the building
and further detailed work on the visitor proposition and exhibition designs. The detail
developed in this phase will allow for greater consultation with stakeholders and
bring significant cost certainty as the project progresses.
An application has been made to the Heritage Lottery Fun for £15 million – with a
decision expected to be announced in May. Once confirmed, it is anticipated that the
museum will close in early 2016 and reopen in 2019.
Notes to Editors:
The Burrell bequest was lauded by celebrated historian, John Julius Norwich, who
said: “In all of history, no municipality has ever received from one of its native sons a
gift of such munificence as that which, in 1944, the City of Glasgow accepted from
Sir William and Lady Burrell.”
The opening of the Burrell Collection in 1983 was a turning point for Glasgow, the
catalyst for a cultural renaissance that helped to transform the city’s fortunes. Recent
research published by the Heritage Lottery Fund found that out of UK cities, the
people of Glasgow were most proud and passionate about their cultural heritage,
with 92 per cent declaring it makes their city a better place to live. Some 95 per cent
of residents said they would recommend that tourists should visit our cultural
heritage sites.
The people of Glasgow’s pride and passion for their cultural assets is matched only
by their importance to the city’s economy. With more than two million visitors in
2013, tourism accounted for £748.8 million in annual turnover, with more than 30,000
people employed in the tourism sector. A recent survey revealed that visiting
museums (69%) was the most popular activity undertaken by visitors to Glasgow.