DEVELOPMENT PROJECT REPORT 2012 1

A TRANSFORMED MUSEUM

The Holburne’s development has at last towards the park. The inspired, if radical, realised the potential of one of the decision to move Blomfield’s staircase ‘Sensational, an country’s great small museums. A museum, re-establishes the historic role of the architectural tour de force that a little over a decade ago, was building as a way into the park and allows threatened with closure, little visited, with for simplicity of plan and the connection that stands out even in dwindling funds and housed in a failing between city and garden to be made on this country, where a building has seen the transformation of every floor. The extension stands as a its building, displays and programmes and garden pavilion, its façade of low-iron new museum renovation a remarkable increase in visitors of over (colourless) glass and crafted ceramic, or extension seems to 500% from before closure in 2008, with with its beautiful mottled green glaze, more than 120,000 visiting in the first reflects the trees and sky to become open every month.’ 8 months after re-opening in May 2011. part of its garden setting. Richard Dorment, The Daily Telegraph

Eric Parry’s beautiful and acclaimed extension and the collection’s imaginative and engaging redisplays are inevitably the most conspicuous element of the Holburne’s project. However, the development has seen the transformation of every corner of the Museum’s operation, revealed most significantly in our becoming free-to-enter, but reflected too in such areas as the quadrupling of our commercial revenues, our ambitious and expanded education and exhibition programmes and our successful recruitment of a new team of over 200 committed and enthusiastic volunteers.

The Building and Site The bold decision to build a contemporary extension to a Grade One listed building in the World Heritage Site of Bath was not taken lightly. It has, however, been triumphantly vindicated by Parry’s building which combines intelligence, sensitivity and delight. From the start the extension responded not only to the needs of the Museum, but also to its exceptional setting and the building’s original purpose in the 1790s as a gateway between the classical formality of Great Pulteney Street and the lyrical fantasy of behind uk

(today a uniquely surviving footprint of . o an eighteenth-century pleasure garden). c ocks.

This connection had been severed when t the building was converted to house the .picks w

Museum in 1916 by Sir Reginald Blomfield. w

Parry’s extension once again turns a face © w 2

l Restored the two existing grand galleries to their former glory while sensitively installing the necessary environmental controls. Previously blocked windows and obscured skylights have been revealed, inappropriate doors replaced and rooms refurbished.

l Created the new flexible Clore Learning Space used for teaching classes of school children, our family workshops, student seminars and symposia and public lectures, with over 4,000 users of the Clore Learning Space since re-opening.

l Created the new Sackler Discovery Centre in which visitors can further explore collection and exhibition themes with computer interactive and changing creative art activities for independent learners.

l Provided a new lift and disabled facilities making the building fully accessible for the first time. New external surfaces and ramps, handrails, seating and large print label booklets in our galleries.

l Created a new and popular Garden Parry’s building works as pure architecture, Café opening onto the park. Over 61,000 but it is what his scheme has delivered for covers since opening. the Holburne, and our visitors, that is its principal achievement. The scheme has: l Created a new Library and Study Centre. Over 5,000 volumes catalogued l Almost doubled display space for and now available online via the the Museum’s permanent collection ’s library catalogue. including new galleries ideally suited to the collection’s domestic scale. l Created new and conditioned collection 60% of objects now on display were storage. previously in store. In short, although retaining the Holburne’s l Created two new purpose-built charm and scale the development has exhibition galleries (Roper Exhibition successfully and finally given the Museum Gallery and the Wirth Gallery) allowing the opportunity it desperately needed to us to mount exhibitions of ambition and make the most of its beguiling collection, quality. Over 18,000 people have visited its unrivalled site and its important our acclaimed exhibitions Peter Blake: a building while also providing vital space Museum for Myself and Gainsborough’s to mount changing exhibitions and Landscapes: Themes and Variations in programmes to continue to attract and the 8 months since re-opening. engage an ever broader audience. 3

RE-DISPLAYING THE COLLECTION

The impact of the project on the Museum’s collection has been as significant and ‘The sheer tantalizing far-reaching as that on its building: array is a browser’s 962 decorative art objects, 84 miniatures, 14 works on paper, 34 paintings and 45 delight’ frames have been cleaned and conserved Marina Vaizey, Arts Desk while the reassessment of the collection means that it is now better understood and documented than at any time in its history.

The Holburne’s new found confidence and ambition has also seen the collection grow in size and quality: the allocation of two important works under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme; the transfer by the National Theatre of the paintings from the Maugham collection Like many of the best-loved museums (including five Zoffanys); the gift of one the Holburne has an individual’s collection Gainsborough portrait and the new loan at its heart and the displays have of two others have all stemmed directly successfully brought Sir William Holburne, from the Holburne’s project and have our Victorian founding collector, into clear seen a remarkable concentration of focus for the first time. The flamboyant the quality of its holdings of British display at the heart of the new first floor paintings. galleries evokes the crowded way in which the collection was first displayed Building on and responding to the new in Sir William’s Bath townhouse and understanding of the Holburne’s encapsulates the Museum’s personality collection the spectacular, thoughtful and of pleasurable profusion. Around this engaging displays, designed by Metaphor, central core, display cases adapt the within the existing and new spaces have language of the collector’s cabinet to transformed the way in which it can be suggest the mind of the collector and seen, enjoyed and understood. Most of to display the wealth and variety of the objects now on display were the collection. previously in store. The displays strike a considered balance between spectacle Sir William’s delight in the miniature, and interpretation, as well as between the the precious and the finely wrought, impact and excitement of mass display, is challenging to communicate within a and the desire to encourage concentrated Museum display (small things were often looking. Above all they provide different meant to be held while lots of them can ‘ways-in’ to the collection placing objects overwhelm). It is a challenge beautifully and paintings in a variety of contexts met through isolating key objects, and the and narratives in displays that actively levels of attention paid to detailed design, encourage exploration and discovery. from display mounts to the judicious use of theatrical lighting. The integral use of drawers together with magnifying glasses deliberately encourages our visitors to actively look, inviting them to pore over individual objects and to take on the role of the collector in his collection. 4

The drawers are also used to extend and The displays throughout the building vary the interpretation of the collection exploit different modes of display and allowing different stories to be told with respond to the gallery spaces. In the a wide variety of approaches. ‘Hands-on’ mezzanine Fletcher Gallery cases explore drawers allow for active and playful the tastes, fashions and material culture engagement and discovery deliberately of the eighteenth-century and the place appealing to different ages and learning of Bath within this story. In the original styles. An innovative computer interactive building the top-lit Brownsword Picture and activities in the Sackler Discovery Gallery brings together the cream of the Centre, family trails and the Museum’s full Museum’s collection of British eighteenth- programme of workshops and lectures century portraiture while the first-floor further extend the ways in which the Davidson Ballroom Gallery shows dining collection can be explored and and display silver and ceramics in ways investigated. that suggest their original use and manner of display. 5

RESPONSE LASTING LEGACY

The Holburne’s development has It was also always hoped that Parry’s transformed a failing museum into one extension, in turning a face towards that makes more of its site, building Sydney Gardens, would provide a catalyst and collection, that has increased and for the restoration and reinvigoration of broadened its audience and that works the Park itself. As a uniquely surviving hard to engage and inspire them. pleasure garden traversed by two As significant as achieving these masterpieces of nineteenth-century fundamental goals is the urgent need engineering (the Kennet & Avon Canal and for the renewed Museum to be able Brunel’s Great Western Railway) Sydney to sustain itself. Gardens is a site of quite exceptional historic interest and considerable future The Holburne is an independent charity potential. We are happy to say that with that has, in recent years, seen its core the Museum’s support Bath & North East funding from the Government and local Somerset Council, the Park’s owner, is Council almost completely removed. In submitting an application to the Heritage 2011 our annual grant of £80,000 from Lottery Fund for funding towards the the Higher Education Funding Council restoration of the Gardens in 2012. for England was removed after changes to the criteria for university museum funding. This was doubly disappointing as the grant had been just increased in recognition of the work we do with four universities in Bath and Bristol. The public and critical response to the Holburne’s project has been overwhelming, Our endowment was increased as a with universally laudatory reviews in the critical element of the development general, architectural and arts press and project. However, to maintain our position broadcast media. This positive critical as Bath’s Art Museum for Everyone, and reaction has been mirrored in the public to achieve our vision of becoming one response seen both in online forums such of Europe’s leading regional museums, as TripAdvisor, visitor comments and ongoing revenue fundraising and the initial findings of our visitor survey: commercial activity remains critical. 99% of visitors describing their visit as enjoyable or very enjoyable and 100% The development has provided vital new of respondents saying they would spaces for income generation including recommend a visit to a friend. That the new Roper Exhibition Gallery, Garden they have done so is suggested by our Café, Shop, Clore Learning Space and the extraordinary visitor figures. Levels of facilities to support private and corporate participation are also high and growing: hire. The continued health of the Museum an average of 16.5% of visitors have will depend upon achieving the targets in visited our paying exhibitions with the our business plan and of course the average for Gainsborough’s Landscapes vitality of our programme of exhibitions, being over 20%. Over 10,592 adults events, concerts, lectures and workshops, and children have participated in our driven by our strong and committed, workshops and community activities if small, team. or attended our varied programme of lectures or concerts. Our Friends The Holburne, through its development organisation, already over 1,000 strong, and its bold decision to become free-to- has recruited a further 200 members enter, has fundamentally changed its since reopening. relationship to its visitors and its site. FACTS & FIGURES VISITOR COMMENTS

l 122,603 visitors between “ Loved the Peter Blake Show! 14 May 2011 and 15 January 2012 Nice new art space. Never been ‘... a real delight. before, but will come again. A beautiful museum l 6,035 children and adults have Thank you! ” attended art for all events and collection...’ “ Most interesting. Suitable for Visitor comment l 1,737 school children have taken children of all ages! Brilliant! ” part in museum workshops “ Beautifully done! So informative l 2,820 people have attend talks, and easy to go through. concerts and study days Impressive collection. Extremely friendly staff. ” l 877 people have received guided group tours “ The Holburne is now excellent. It is a Museum that Bath has needed l 252 volunteers are manning our for a long-time. Well Done. ” information desk, exhibitions, Pauline B galleries, shop and education events “ It’s brilliant – and really easy with a pram. Well done, I’ll be l 56% of visitors have never visited back lots! ” the Holburne before “ My first visit – a real delight. l 99% of visitors rate their visit to A beautiful museum and collection… ” the Holburne as very enjoyable or enjoyable “ Absolutely spell binding!! Congratulations to you all – l £13.6million raised for the best art gallery I’ve seen development project and outside London. ” Endowment fund “ One of the most user friendly l 1,365 different ceramic pieces museums I have ever been in – make up the façade of the new well done. ” extension “ I think this nice museum is l 1,510 donors to the project one of the best in the world! ” Maria N., The Netherlands l 1,139 objects conserved “ The ‘new’ Holburne Museum l 60% of the collection on display is a delight…beautiful objects… after being in storage since displayed in an inventive way World War II with lots of hands-on activities to keep smaller visitors satisfied…” TripAdvisor

“ …everything a twenty-first century museum should be. ” TripAdvisor

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Sources of funding Geographical source of funding n Public / Lottery n HLF South West n Trusts & Foundations n London n Individual donors n Bath n Board donations n South West n Other n Other / Unknown n Friends n Rest of the World n Legacy n Rest of UK n Events & Community fundraising Businesses n 1% 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% 2% 2% 9% 38% 12% 36%

11%

23%

35% 23%

Given in support of Project costs n General donations to the campaign n Construction n Endowment n Professional fees n Public Appeal n Displays & fit out n Legacies n Fundraising & communications n Educational facilities n Internal management & supervision n Collection & display n Non-recoverable VAT n Construction

2% 3% 1% 3% 9% 1% 2% 83% 6% 6% 60%

10%

14% ‘It is one of the most delightful pieces of wrapping any architect has done anywhere’ Rowan Moore, The Observer

DESIGN TEAM

Building design by Eric Parry Architects

Main construction by Sir Robert McAlpine

Structural engineering by Momentum

Mechanical & electrical engineering by Atelier Ten

Ceramic façade by Shaws of Darwen, Lancashire

Project management by Cragg Management Services

Exhibition design by Metaphor

Displays constructed by Meyvaert

Graphic design by Annabel Dalziel

Lighting by Kevan Shaw Lighting Design

Interactive design by All of Us

Photography by Chris Cardwell

THANK YOU TO ALL THE SUPPORTERS

OF THE RESTORATION AND The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust Bel Mooney EXTENSION OF THE MUSEUM Charmian Adams Moore Stephens The Annett Charitable Trust Guy Morrison Arts & Business Duncan and Dee Moss Ian Askew MC The Norie Trust Maurice Avent David and Kay Ord The BAND Trust Kevin and Victoria O’Sullivan The Heritage Lottery Fund Bang & Olufsen of Bath Oxford Exhibition Services Mr Rodney Barber William and Vanessa Parker Barclays Bank Charitable Fund Pearson May Lord Barnby’s Foundation The Pitt-Rivers Charitable Trust John and Alison Barneby David Posnett OBE Ken and Vera Barnes Mrs John Posnett Bath Half Marathon Runners 2011 Charles and Tineke Pugh George Bayntuns The Reed Foundation Edward Bayntun-Coward Roper Rhodes The Linbury Trust and The Monument Trust Bridget and Philip Beck Rotork Control A.N. Benn The Royal Oak Foundation William and Vicky Bertram The Hon. Emma Russell The Ken Biggs Charitable Trust Adrian Sassoon The Charlotte Bonham-Carter Charitable Derek Satow Bath and North East Somerset Council Trust Savills The Late Prof. Frank Brown Nelson E. Bowers II The Andrew and Belinda Scott Charitable Mr and Mrs Michael Briggs Trust The Andrew Brownsword Charitable Foundation The Sir Robin Buchanan Charitable Trust Mrs Victoria Sharp The Castletown Trust Mr and Mrs Richard Burbidge James Sherwin The Cairns Charitable Trust Jonathan and Emily Showering The Davidson Family Settlement The Late Monica Catling Mrs Gordon Simpson David and Karin Embleton Rosalie Challis The Late Miss Eileen Soanes C H K Charities Limited Sotheby’s Andrew Fletcher Dr Marianna Clark The Stanley Foundation Anthony and Louise Clarke Hugh and Catherine Stevenson The Friends of the Holburne Museum The Clothworkers’ Foundation Stone King Sewell Robert and Chantal Miller Clydesdale Bank Lady Strasburger Tessa and Dermot Coleman Jonathan Sumption OBE QC Brian and Margaret Roper The Ernest Cook Trust The Swire Charitable Trust Garfield Weston Foundation The Cookson Charitable Trust Mrs David Telling John and Yvonne Cullum Christopher and Sally Tennant Mr and Mrs William Darby Matthew and Leigh Thorne Malcolm and Elizabeth Baldwin Morny and Ian Hay Davison Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons Delomosne and Son Utopia Communications The Clore Duffield Foundation The Dickinson Group The Vodafone Foundation The Foyle Foundation Eva and Van DuBose The Lord Waldegrave of North Hill Dukes Hotel Wessex Water The Late Sir Edwin Manton Ben Elwes Fine Art Marnie Whiting The Medlock Charitable Trust Michael Estorick Anthony Wilkinson The Lord Faringdon Charitable Trust Withy King Solicitors The Osborne Charitable Trust David and Delia Franklin The Wolfson Foundation The Late Sylvia Richardson Richard and Carolyn Frewer Jonathan and Julia Wyld Anthony Fuller Mrs John Yates, OBE John and Belle Robinson Philip and Melanie Gibbs Zenith International The Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation Nicholas and Judith Goodison Ann Zwemmer The Worshipful Company of Grocers The MJC Stone Charitable Trust Handelsbanken Donors to the care and conservation The Underwood Trust Stephen and Nicola Hanscombe of the collection Pamela, The Lady Harlech Association of Independent Museums and Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement The R. J. Harris Trust Pilgrim Trust Conservation Award G L Hearn The Aurelius Charitable Trust Manuela and Iwan Wirth Mark Henderson Mr and Mrs Raymond Henley Philip Bayliss The Henry C. Hoare Charitable Trust Mrs Stephen Beck Sir David Hoare, Bt. Allen Bergin Caryl and John Hubbard The Professor Geoffrey Butler Memorial Lady Kate Hunloke Fund The Idlewild Trust Mrs Joan Chandler Michael Jodrell The Clothworkers’ Foundation The Anton Jurgens Trust The Drapers' Charitable Fund The J H King Charity Trust Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Knight Frank Nicholas Falk Alastair Laing Mrs Philip Farrer The Leathersellers’ Company Charitable The Friends of the Holburne Museum Fund Mrs Jeannie Hobhouse Gerard and Juliet Leighton The Leche Trust Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust The Late Miss Eleanor Macnair, OBE John Lewis Partnership The Mercers’ Company Charitable Lowell Libson Ltd. Foundation Lucas & Weston The Holburne Music Committee Nigel and George Mackintosh The Pilgrim Trust The Late Miss Eleanor Macnair, OBE Charlotte Felix Pole The Michael Marks Charitable Trust David Posnett, OBE The Holburne Museum The J P Marland Charitable Trust Hilary Rosser Mrs Lucille Marshall Mrs Victoria Sharp Great Pulteney Street Elaine Marson The Veneziana Fund Bath BA2 4DB Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd The Woodmansterne Art Conservation McLaughlin Ross LLP Awards www.holburne.org The Mercers’ Company Charitable Registered charity number: 310288 Foundation