Grainger Museum facts for kids
Grainger Museum, University of Melbourne
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| Established | 1938 |
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| Location | University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Type | Autobiographical museum |
The Grainger Museum is a special place in Melbourne, Australia. It keeps many items that tell the story of Percy Grainger. He was a famous composer, musician, and teacher. Grainger was born in Melbourne in 1882 and passed away in New York in 1961.
This museum is located at the University of Melbourne. It holds things from his life, his music, and his career. Percy Grainger started thinking about creating his own museum in the 1920s. He wanted a place to keep his important letters and notes. He called museums "past-hoard-houses" sometimes, but agreed to use the word "museum" for this building.
Contents
Building the Museum
The Grainger Museum was designed by John Gawler. He was an architect from the University of Melbourne. Percy Grainger himself helped with ideas and money for the building.
A Unique Design
Construction of the museum happened between 1935 and 1939. The University of Melbourne gave the land for it. The museum officially opened in December 1938. It was built just for Percy Grainger's collection. This makes it the only museum in Australia made specifically for one person's life story. The building is very important and is listed on several heritage registers.
Restoring the Museum
The museum closed in 2003 for seven years. It needed repairs and conservation work. There were problems with water getting into the building. After careful restoration, it reopened on 15 October 2010.
What You Can See Inside
The museum has many interesting things from Percy Grainger's life. You can see his original music sheets and published songs. There are also musical instruments and old sound recordings. The collection includes artworks, photographs, books, and personal items.
Grainger's Inventions
You can also find sound-making devices that Grainger used. He created these for his new and experimental "Free Music." He was always trying new things with sound.
A Huge Collection
The museum has a very large collection of historical documents. It includes about 50,000 letters. Grainger wrote to many famous people like Edvard Grieg and Frederick Delius. He also collected letters from other great composers. In total, the museum holds over 100,000 items. Only a small part of this amazing collection is on display. Researchers can see the rest by making an appointment.
Visiting the Museum
The Grainger Museum is open on Mondays during university semesters. You can visit from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Past Exhibitions
The museum often hosts special exhibitions. These shows highlight different parts of Percy Grainger's life and work.
- 2018 Objects of Fame: Nellie Melba and Percy Grainger
- 2018 Synthesizers: Sound of the Future
- 2017 Grainger Photographed: Public Facades and Intimate Spaces
- 2017 Fugal Alternatives: Reverberations of Studio 01
- 2017 Instrument of Change: Visions of the Guitar in the Early 20th Century
- 2016 Percy Grainger: The Accidental Futurist
- 2016 Experiments in Freedom
- 2016 Water, marks and countenances: Works on paper from the Grainger Museum collection
- 2015 Pack up your troubles: Music and the Great War
- 2015 Patrick Pound at the Grainger Museum
See also
- List of music museums
- Percy Grainger home (White Plains, New York)
