The Burrell Collection in Glasgow will reopen to the public on Tuesday 29th March 2022 after major refurbishment, the charity Glasgow Life has today confirmed.
Located in Pollok Country Park, it will reveal a greener, expanded space giving visitors access to over a third more of the building.
The multi-year refurbishment, which cost £68.25 million, began in 2016. The expansion includes a new central stairway allowing visitors access to its open store on the lower floor for the first time.
Glasgow’s Burrell Collection to open in March 2022 following £68 million refurbishment
A new temporary exhibition space and new galleries have been created on upper floors which will take visitors to new spaces in the building for the first time.
The expansion makes for a total of 225 displays spread across 24 galleries, with an updated digital offering including video walls, interactives and hybrid systems.
A new roof, glazing and cladding, and more efficient power, heating and lighting systems have been added to enhance its energy performance and provide a stable environment for the Collection.
Bill Ritchie, Director of Environmental Design Consultants, Atellier Ten, said the refurbishment had embraced new technical advances including computer simulation, which “has honed the specification of glass and fabric to ensure that the building relies less on outdated and energy consuming building services systems.”
Ritchie explained: “Further modelling has examined sunpath and daylight patterns to ensure an optimal user experience whilst the collection is conserved in an environment that is closely controlled employing latest heat reclaim technology as well as a vast roof mounted photovoltaic array.”
Event was appointed in 2016 to develop the visitor experience and to design and deliver all the exhibition displays on all three floors of the building.
Esther Dugdale, Creative Director of Event said its goal was to “give visitors new opportunities to enjoy and fresh ways to appreciate the Collection, in harmony with The Burrell’s seminal architecture and natural setting.”
“Sustainability is key to the museum’s transformation, the elegant new display system will protect the Collection, whilst providing the flexibility to move and reinterpret objects for decades to come.”
Nearly half of the funding for the £68.25 million project was committed by Glasgow City Council, £16.5 million was committed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, £5.75 million from The Scottish Government, £3 million from the UK Government, and the remainder from trusts and private donors.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “It will be a proud moment for Glasgow, and for all of Scotland, to see the iconic Burrell Collection open its doors again.”
Pollok Country Park, which is home to The Burrell Collection, has an Active Travel Management Plan which has been developed alongside the building refurbishment. It improves access to The Burrell Collection and wider park for visitors travelling by public transport, bike or on foot; delivers an improved path network and associated signage, bike hire and bike racks, an electric shuttle bus, as well as electric car charging points.
