First exhibition at the ‘new’ Burrell Collection

First exhibition at the ‘new’ Burrell Collection set to open.
A new exhibition charting the collecting and legacy of Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady
Burrell, who donated one of the single greatest gifts to the city of Glasgow, is set to open on Saturday 27 August.
The Burrells’ Legacy: A Great Gift to Glasgow is the inaugural exhibition to be held at The Burrell Collection Glasgow since it reopened in March 2022, following a major refurbishment and redesign. It is free to enter.
Visitors will discover more about how The Burrell Collection, which is managed by Glasgow Life, the charity responsible for culture and sport in the city, came to be.
Over 100 extraordinary objects help tell the story of its formation, from a couple’s private art collection to atreasured civic museum of huge international significance, and reveals the dedicated efforts of Sir William Burrell and Constance, Lady Burrell, the Glasgow Corporation, architects, and other key players, to create a permanent home for the magnificent Collection.
Duncan Dornan, Head of Glasgow Life Museums and Collections said: “Since opening in March, the
popularity of The Burrell Collection, together with positive feedback from visitors, highlights the huge affection that exists for the museum and Collection.
“I’ve often wondered what Dr Tom Honeyman must have thought on the journey home from Hutton
Castle, where he learned The Burrells were to gift their exceptional Collection to the city of Glasgow. The breadth and scale of that Collection, which continues to grow today thanks to the work of the Burrell Trustees, has inspired people, from its initial donation in 1944 to its refurbishment and redisplay over 75 years later.
“It seems appropriate that the first exhibition in the new Burrell reveals more about the couple themselves and the story behind the creation of the wonderful museum in which their Collection is housed.”
Professor Frances Fowle, Senior Trustee, Sir William Burrell Trust, said: “The Trustees are delighted to sponsor this inaugural exhibition of the newly refurbished Burrell Collection. It is a testament to Sir William and Constance, Lady Burrell’s love of beautiful objects and to the quality and international scope of the Collection. It is also a tribute to their generosity as donors, not only to the city of Glasgow but to their local town of Berwick-upon-Tweed.”
Prior to the 1944 donation, the Burrells had rarely collected objects from ancient civilisations. Once they had committed to giving their Collection to Glasgow, Sir William Burrell turned his attention to ensuring it was more representative of worldwide history. The exhibition explains Burrell’s renewed focus on this area of collecting and introduces some stunning ceramics, jewellery and art from Greece, Egypt, and ancient Mesopotamia. This is enhanced by the addition of reference books from Burrell’s personal library of over 1,000 books, also gifted to the city after Constance, Lady Burrell’s death.