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How the Burrell Collection is inspiring the minds of a new generation

Pupils from St Conval's Primary School at the Burrell Collection. Photo by Gordon Terris. <i>(Image: Newsquest)</i>
Pupils from St Conval's Primary School at the Burrell Collection. Photo by Gordon Terris. (Image: Newsquest)

It is a way to engage young minds and inspire future generations with childhood memories of trips to museums lasting a lifetime.

As part of the Burrell Collection’s community led projects they have been engaging with different age groups and making a lasting impression. So much so for one young boy that he tried to recreate some of the exhibits in his own museum.


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Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance, Lady Burrell created a collection of over 8,000 artworks which they gave to the city in 1944, in what has been described as ‘one of the greatest gifts ever made to any city in the world. This week marks one year since it reopened following a £69million revamp.

Read more: First look inside Glasgow's Burrell Collection after £69m revamp

Learning and access curator Caroline Currie’s role is to engage with different community groups as well as running events and learning projects within the Burrell Collection.

HeraldScotland: Caroline Currie, of the Burrell Collection, is inspiring future generations. Photo by Colin Mearns.
HeraldScotland: Caroline Currie, of the Burrell Collection, is inspiring future generations. Photo by Colin Mearns.

Caroline Currie, of the Burrell Collection, is inspiring future generations. Photo by Colin Mearns. (Image: Newsquest)

She said: “We were working with a group to create a handling kit. We couldn’t take the objects out so we had information sheets. Every week he would take one with him. It turned out he had been taking them home and putting them on the wall to create his own museum, writing his own labels and putting them on his bedroom wall.

“We created three handling boxes for our target audiences - families, early years and adults - and each one is made with representatives from those audiences. We take them out to communities and use them as a personal invite to come and visit the Burrell. They all have a selection of objects, they are not replicas.

"I was recently in a school with one of them and I took a small ancient Egyptian figure. They were amazed at getting to see this in their classroom and touch it. It whet their appetite and got them excited about coming to the Burrell. It is a lovely way of explaining what museum objects are but they are also in a little disbelief that they are able to touch it and engage with it.”

HeraldScotland: St Conval's Primary School at the Burrell Collection as it marked one year since reopening. Photo Gordon Terris.
HeraldScotland: St Conval's Primary School at the Burrell Collection as it marked one year since reopening. Photo Gordon Terris.

St Conval's Primary School at the Burrell Collection as it marked one year since reopening. Photo Gordon Terris. (Image: Newsquest)

She recalled how one youngster involved in the project was enthralled and had such an interest that he knew about every aspect of the exhibits he was being introduced to.

Ms Currie added: “It was almost as if the youngster was being a mini curator and I hope that sparked something in him. It is about the quality of experience and how people are inspired that gives me satisfaction."

For the new keeper of the Burrell Collection, Samuel Gallacher it was those early museum memories that have stayed with him.

Mr Gallacher said: “I remember being taken by my granny and grandad to what was then the Royal Museum in Edinburgh and the memories I had inspired me to have a love of collecting. I would go to the museum and in the evening I would do a little stage on the stairs and ask my family to come and look at my museum.”

The Burrell Collection is marking one year since it reopened following a £69million revamp. In 12 months more than 600,000 people have visited.

A series of events at the Burrell Collection has also allowed enthusiasts to have a deeper understanding of an object with masterclass sessions held on glassware and tapestries.

Ms Currie added: “We started a programme of weekly talks on a different object every time and that is getting a regular audience. We have had an expert give a talk on medieval tapestries as for some people this is their real interest and passion and this is one of the best places in the UK to see tapestries.

“There is nothing better than taking groups around and hearing a wow. There was one group of youngsters who came in when we had not long reopened. His teacher stood back and told me how he wouldn’t engage in class, but at the Burrell he came alive and was telling his classmates about the objects.”

And on Tuesday March 28 it was a new generation of young people from St Conval's Primary who were able to come to the Burrell to see what it has to offer.

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Claire Wood, Primary 6 teacher at St Conval’s said: “For us, one of the real strengths of the museum partnership is the connections the children have made to the artefacts and the Burrell itself. The incredible collection gives the children’s learning context and allows them to make real-life connections to the past. The museum allows the children to access the collection in an interactive and meaningful way. The children particularly enjoy seeing objects such as the Ming Vases which have featured in their learning at school.”