Hunt Museum facts for kids
| Iarsmalann Hunt | |
Façade of the museum contained within the former Custom House
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| Established | 1978 |
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| Location | Rutland Street, Limerick, Ireland |
| Type | Art museum, Historic site, Antiquities, Fine Art, Private Collection |
| Collection size | approx. 2,500 objects |
| Founder | John Hunt and Gertrude Hunt |
| Public transit access | Limerick Colbert railway station |
The Hunt Museum (which is called Iarsmalann Hunt in Irish) is a special place in Limerick, Ireland. It's located in an old building called the Custom House. This museum holds a huge collection of amazing objects. These items were collected by a family named the Hunts.
The collection was first shown at the University of Limerick. Later, in 1997, it moved to its current home. This home is a beautiful old building in Limerick. The museum has artworks by famous people like Pablo Picasso and Jack B. Yeats. It also displays unique historical items, such as the O'Dea Mitre and Crozier.
Contents
The Museum's Story
John and Gertrude Hunt were antique dealers. They loved collecting old and interesting items. Over many years, they gathered a large personal collection. As John got older, they wanted to find a permanent home for their treasures. They wanted to make sure their collection stayed together.
They met with Professor Patrick Doran and Dr. Edward Walsh from the National Institute of Higher Education (now the University of Limerick). They agreed that the university would temporarily keep a big part of the collection. The Hunt Museum first opened in 1978 at the university.
In 1974, the Hunt Museums Trust was created. This trust was set up to hold the collection for the people of Ireland. A company, The Hunt Museum Limited, was then formed. Its goal was to find a permanent home for the museum. Many groups worked together to make this happen. These included the University of Limerick and the local government. They bought the old Custom House in Limerick city. They also raised money to fix up the building. The museum officially opened its doors on February 14, 1997. The Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) at the time, John Bruton, opened it.
The Custom House Building
The Hunt Museum is inside Limerick's old Custom House. This building was built in the 1700s. It's made of limestone, which is different from most other buildings in the city. Many other buildings are made of red brick. The Custom House was designed by an Italian architect named Davis Ducart. He designed it in 1765, and it was finished a few years later.
The Custom House was once a very busy place. It was the main office for collecting taxes on goods coming into Limerick. It was also where the Customs Collector lived in the 1700s. In the 1840s, a new postal service started. A Penny Post Office also opened inside the Custom House.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) worked hard to restore the building. They finished the work in 1996. The Custom House then opened as The Hunt Museum on February 14, 1997. Every year, the museum celebrates its opening day. They offer free entry, talks, tours, and workshops.
What's in the Collection?
The Hunt Museum has about 2,500 different artifacts. These items come from both Ireland and other countries. The oldest pieces are from the Stone Age in Ireland and ancient Egypt. The collection includes the Antrim Cross. This is a bronze and enamel cross from the early 800s. You can also see dresses by Irish designer Sybil Connolly. There are drawings by Pablo Picasso too.
One interesting item is a bronze horse. For a while, people thought it might have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. However, in 2009, experts found that it was not. Some parts of the Hunt collection are also shown at Craggaunowen. This is another historical site that John and Gertrude Hunt helped to restore.
Religious Items
John Hunt was very interested in early Christian art. He collected many religious items. The museum has many of these, from rosary beads to statues. They come from Ireland and other parts of Europe. The museum's 'Treasury Room' holds many of these special items. Here you can see the Arthur Cross and the Arthur Chalice. Other medieval Christian pieces include the Antrim Cross, the Cashel Bell, and the Hohenzollern Crucifix.
Sybil Connolly's Designs
The Sybil Connolly collection at The Hunt Museum is very special. It includes documents, sketches, letters, and photos. There are also ceramic and textile items. The textile collection has 45 pieces designed by Sybil Connolly. These include famous dresses like the "Heiress Dress" and "Pink Ice Dress." Most of this collection was given to the museum by Gertrude Hunt.
The 'Horse Outside' Art
In 2011, a life-sized model of a horse was placed outside the museum. Young people aged 10 to 18 painted this horse. Another painted horse joined it in 2012. These models are made of fiberglass. They are brought inside at night for safety. This fun art display was inspired by the song Horse Outside by the group The Rubberbandits.
See also
