Holburne Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1882 |
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| Location | Bath, Somerset |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 12 June 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1395305 |
The Holburne Museum is a fantastic art gallery in Bath, England. It's found in the beautiful Sydney Pleasure Gardens. This museum was Bath's very first public art gallery.
It's a special building, listed as Grade I, which means it's historically important. Inside, you'll find amazing fine and decorative arts. These pieces mostly come from the collection of Sir William Holburne. Famous artists like Gainsborough and Stubbs have their works here.
The museum isn't just for looking at art. It also hosts cool temporary exhibitions. You can enjoy music, creative workshops, and family events. There's also a bookshop and a café that opens into the gardens. The museum got a big makeover and reopened in 2011.
Contents
Discovering the Holburne Collection
The main part of the museum's collection started with Sir Thomas William Holburne. He was born in 1793 and passed away in 1874. William first joined the navy. Later, he inherited a special title called a Baronetcy in 1820. This happened after his older brother, Francis, died in battle.
Sir William's Amazing Collection
We don't know all the details of how Sir William collected his items. But he gathered over 4,000 objects! He already had Chinese porcelain, silver, and portraits. To these, he added more silver and porcelain from the 1600s and 1700s.
His collection also included Italian maiolica (a type of pottery) and bronze sculptures. He owned Old Master paintings (works by famous artists from before the 1800s). You could also find tiny portrait miniatures, books, and furniture. Plus, there were smaller treasures like Roman glass, coins, and snuff boxes.
How the Collection Grew
In 1882, Sir William's sister, Mary Anne Barbara Holburne, gave his entire collection to the people of Bath. After the museum opened, the collection kept growing. Over 2,500 new objects have been added since then.
Some parts of the original collection were already very complete. For example, the maiolica, silver, and gems. So, not much was added to these areas. But other parts, like the glass collection, were small at first. They grew a lot in the 1920s and 1930s with gifts from other families and groups.
The museum also added more Asian ceramics. Important pieces were given by collectors like J Murray Elgar and George Warre. The museum also gained many British paintings and miniatures from the 1700s and early 1800s.
In 1955, the museum received ten paintings from Ernest E Cook. These included works by Gainsborough, Stubbs, and Turner. Later, in 1962, portraits by Allan Ramsay were given by Sir Orme Sargent. Most new items are chosen carefully. They must fit the style of Sir William's original collection. This helps keep the museum's collection special and connected.
The museum even has portraits by modern artists. For example, David Fisher won a competition in 2008 to create a portrait for the museum.
The Museum Building and Gardens
Since 1916, the Holburne Museum has been in a building that used to be the Sydney Hotel. This hotel is at the end of Great Pulteney Street. The first plan for the hotel was made in 1794 by Thomas Baldwin. It was meant to serve the Sydney Gardens, which he also designed.
Sydney Gardens: A Historic Park
These gardens are very special. They are the only remaining 18th-century "pleasure gardens" in the country. Pleasure gardens were like old-fashioned theme parks. People went there to relax, socialize, and enjoy entertainment.
Thomas Baldwin went bankrupt, so his hotel design wasn't built. Instead, Charles Harcourt Masters designed a new three-story building. The first stone was laid in 1796, and the building was ready by 1799. Visitors would walk through the hotel to enter the gardens.
Fun Times at the Sydney Hotel
The hotel had a conservatory and a semi-circular orchestra area at the back. Below it was a wide covered area. Two rows of supper boxes stuck out from the sides of the building. The gardens were used daily for walks and public breakfasts.
At these public breakfasts, tea, coffee, and Sally Lunn buns were served around midday. Then, people would dance! There were usually three big evening parties each summer. These often happened on the birthdays of King George III and the Prince of Wales. Another party was held in July for the Bath races.
During these evening parties, the gardens glowed with thousands of lamps. Guests enjoyed supper with music and fireworks. Inside the hotel, people had breakfast, drank coffee, read newspapers, and played cards on the ground floor. There was a ballroom on the first floor for dancing. All the rooms could also be rented for private events.
In 1836, the hotel became a private lodging house. An extra floor of bedrooms was added. The two watchmen's boxes you see outside the museum today were added around 1840.
Working with Universities
For a short time, the building was home to Sydney College. This was a school that aimed to be as good as Clifton College. It was mainly for sons whose families could afford boarding. The school was quite successful and had some famous students. Sydney College even played Clifton College in its very first rugby match in 1872.
The Holburne Museum became a "University Museum" in 1973. This was because of its connection with the University of Bath. It has also worked with the nearby University of Bristol. In 2013, the Holburne Museum and Bath Spa University started a new partnership. This helps them work together on academic and cultural projects.
Images for kids
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The Holburne Museum viewed from Sydney Road
