Heide Museum of Modern Art facts for kids
Heide I, a former farmhouse and now one of the museum's exhibition spaces
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| Established | 1981 |
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| Location | Bulleen, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Type | Modern art, contemporary art |
| Visitors | 70,000 |
| Public transit access | Route 903 SmartBus from Heidelberg Station |
The Heide Museum of Modern Art, often called Heide, is an art museum in Bulleen, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It opened in 1981. The museum shows modern and contemporary art in three different buildings. It is also surrounded by beautiful gardens and a sculpture park, covering sixteen acres.
Heide is on land that used to be a dairy farm. It was owned by John and Sunday Reed, who were big supporters of art. They bought the farm in 1934 and named it Heide. This name came from the Heidelberg School, an art movement that started nearby in the 1880s.
Heide became a meeting place for a group of young modern artists. This group was known as the Heide Circle. Famous artists like Sidney Nolan, John Perceval, Albert Tucker, and Joy Hester often stayed at the Reeds' old farmhouse, now called Heide I. These artists are now among Australia's most famous. They were also leaders of the Angry Penguins, a modern art movement. This movement was named after a magazine that the Reeds and poet Max Harris helped publish. Many artworks at Heide show its strong connection to this art movement.
Between 1964 and 1967, the Reeds built a new home called Heide II. This building is now seen as a great example of modernist architecture in Victoria. In 1980, the Reeds sold Heide II, much of their land, and many artworks to the Victorian Government. They wanted it to become a public art museum and park. Since then, the museum has grown its collection with many gifts. It continues to support new and young artists, just as the Reeds wanted.
In 1993, a new gallery building, Heide III, was added. It was designed by Andrew Andersons. This building was made even bigger during major upgrades at Heide in 2005–06. During this time, the Sidney Myer Education Centre was also built. Heide II and its gardens were also restored, and new facilities were added.
Contents
Heide's Story
How it Began
The museum is on land that was first used by Indigenous Australians. You can still see a special scarred tree, called Yingabeal, at the top of the property. Later, in the 1800s and early 1900s, the site was a farm with a dairy. The first farmhouse was built around the 1880s or 1890s.
From the 1800s onwards, artists and writers often visited this area. They loved the Yarra River and the hills east of Melbourne. It was a perfect place for them to create art. This led to groups like the Heidelberg School forming in Heidelberg. Other art spots like Montsalvat in Eltham and artist camps in Box Hill and Warrandyte also started here.
In 1934, John and Sunday Reed bought the farm. They were big fans and collectors of modern Australian art. They named their property Heide after the nearby town of Heidelberg. After moving into the farmhouse in 1935, they created a special library. It had modern books, international art books, and magazines.
Heide became a hub for new art and culture. The Reeds welcomed artists like Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, John Perceval, and Danila Vassilieff. Nolan lived at Heide for almost ten years. He painted his famous Ned Kelly series in the dining room in 1946–47.
In 1963, the Reeds asked architect David McGlashan to design a new home. They wanted it to feel mysterious and romantic, like "a gallery to be lived in." This bright home, called Heide II, was built from Mount Gambier limestone. It used simple materials and neutral colours. The Reeds moved into Heide II in 1967. Sunday Reed then started a second kitchen garden near their new house.
Becoming a Museum
The Reeds moved back into Heide I, the old farmhouse. This was after they sold Heide II, most of their land, and many of their artworks to the Victorian State Government in August 1980. The Minister for the Arts, Norman Lacy, agreed to the purchase. He also promised the government's ongoing support for a public art gallery on the site. It was to be called 'Heide Park and Art Gallery'.
The inside of Heide II was changed to get ready for its opening as a public art gallery in November 1981. Today, the Heide Museum of Modern Art is a non-profit company. A Board of Directors manages it for the Victorian Government.
Dr Norman Wettenhall became the first Chairman. The Premier of Victoria at the time, Sir Rupert Hamer, was the first Patron. Maudie Palmer AO was chosen as the first Director.
Recent Changes
The museum had big upgrades in 2005–06. They added several sculptures and installation art pieces. The gardens were also redesigned. A new education centre and gallery space were built. The Heide III building was made bigger to show artworks from the Barbara Tucker Gift. On July 13, 2006, the museum officially reopened after its $3 million renovation. The new buildings were designed by O'Connor + Houle Architecture.
What You Can See at Heide
Heide is located on land that was once a floodplain of the Yarra River in Bulleen. The museum has several separate buildings, gardens, and parklands. All these areas are used to show art.
Buildings and Spaces
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- Heide I - This building was built around 1870. The Reeds bought it in 1934 and made it look like a French country home. It has been updated several times. Today, it shows exhibitions from the Heide Collection and its historical records.
- Heide II - John and Sunday Reed asked for this building to be designed in 1963. It was built between 1964 and 1967. Architect David McGlashan designed it to be "a gallery to be lived in." The Reeds lived here from 1967 to 1980. It is one of the best examples of modernist architecture in Victoria. It won a top award for homes in 1968. Now, it displays works from the Heide Collection and sometimes art by modern artists.
- Heide III - This building was built in 1993 and made bigger in 2005. It was designed by Andrew Andersons. It is the largest gallery part of the museum. It includes the Central Galleries, the Albert & Barbara Tucker Gallery, the Kerry Gardner & Andrew Myer Project Gallery, the Tucker Study Centre, and the Heide Store.
- Sidney Myer Education Centre - Built in 2005, this centre was designed by O’Connor + Houle Architecture. It is a place for teachers, students, and community groups to learn and think. It hosts many education programs about Heide's art, buildings, and gardens.
- Heide Cafe - The cafe reopened in November 2009 after a 19-month renovation. It was designed by Chris Connell Design. The cafe is in the former Heide II motor court. It has glass walls and seats 55 people inside and another 55 outside.
Gardens and Sculpture Park
The sixteen acres of gardens at Heide have grown over many years, along with its art and buildings. When John and Sunday Reed bought Heide in 1934, it was an old, uncared-for dairy farm. They immediately started to improve and expand the kitchen garden near the farmhouse. They also began a big planting project to turn the property into a green park.
Today, the landscaped area includes a sculpture park with over forty sculptures. Several of the original gardens are now protected as historical sites. There is also a special area for native plants and a wide variety of trees, roses, herbs, flowers, and vegetables.
Visiting Heide
- Heide I, II and III: Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
- Heide Store (in Heide III): Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
- Gardens & Sculpture Park – You can visit these for FREE!
The Heide Art Collection
The main part of the museum's art collection was put together by Heide's founders, John and Sunday Reed. They collected a wide range of art from the 1940s to the 1970s, including both expressionist and abstract styles. The collection features works by artists such as Moya Dyring, Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, Gray Smith, John Perceval, Arthur Boyd, Charles Blackman, Peter Booth, Mike Brown, Richard Larter, and Wolfgang Sievers.
Gallery
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Rings of Saturn - Inge King
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A sculpture in the Heide Park
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Basket and Wave by Dennis Oppenheim
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The Running Man by Rick Amor
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Stages 1, 2, 3 by Ronald Upton
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More to Explore
- Art of Australia
- National Gallery of Victoria
- National Gallery of Australia
- Heidelberg School
- Montsalvat
- Box Hill artists' camp
- Heide Circle
