Hunt Museum facts for kids
| Iarsmalann Hunt | |
Front view of the Hunt Museum in 2016
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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 |
| Public transit access | Limerick Colbert railway station |
The Hunt Museum (which is Iarsmalann Hunt in Irish) is a museum in the city of Limerick, Ireland. It holds a special collection of art and historical items. This collection was given to the museum by the Hunt family.
The museum first opened at the University of Limerick. Later, in 1997, it moved to its current home. This home is a beautiful old building called the Custom House. It's located on Rutland Street right by the River Shannon. Inside the museum, you can find amazing works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Jack B. Yeats. There are also unique historical items, such as the O'Dea Mitre and Crozier, which are old church objects.
Contents
History of the Hunt Museum
John and Gertrude Hunt were antique dealers. They also collected many items that they found interesting. As their collection grew, they wanted to make sure it stayed together. They looked for a permanent home for all their treasures.
They met Professor Patrick Doran and Dr. Edward Walsh from the National Institute of Higher Education (now the University of Limerick). These two agreed to keep a large part of the collection for a while. The Hunt Museum first opened there in 1978.
Later, the Irish government helped find a new, permanent home for the collection. The Hunt Museums Trust was set up in 1974 to look after the items. They also owned Craggaunowen, a restored 16th-century tower house.
Many groups worked together to find a new home for the museum. These included the University of Limerick and the local government. They chose the historic 18th-century former custom house in Limerick city. This building was restored and made ready for the museum. The Hunt Museum officially opened in its new home on February 14, 1997. The Taoiseach (Irish 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 is special because it's made of limestone, not the usual red brick used for most Georgian houses in the city.
The Custom House was designed by an Italian architect named Davis Ducart. He finished it between 1765 and 1769. It's built in a style called Palladian.
In the 18th century, this building was very important. It was the main office for collecting taxes and customs in Limerick. The Customs Collector also lived there. Later, in the 1840s, a Penny Post Office opened inside the Custom House.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) worked hard to restore the building. They finished in 1996. The Custom House then opened as The Hunt Museum on February 14, 1997. Every year, the museum celebrates this day with an "Open Day." On this day, you can get free admission, enjoy talks, tours, and workshops.
What's in the Collection?
The Hunt Museum has about 2,500 different artefacts. These items come from Ireland and other countries. Some of the oldest pieces are from the Stone-Age in Ireland and ancient Egypt.
The collection includes many interesting things:
- The Antrim Cross, an old bronze and enamel cross from the 9th century.
- Dresses by famous Irish designer Sybil Connolly.
- Drawings by the well-known artist Pablo Picasso.
- A bronze horse that was once thought to be a design by Leonardo da Vinci. However, experts later found out it wasn't.
Some parts of the Hunt collection are also shown at Craggaunowen in County Clare. John and Gertrude Hunt also helped a lot with that place.
Religious Artefacts
John Hunt was very interested in early Christian art and objects. He collected many of them. Because of this, the museum has many religious items. These include rosary beads and statues of different sizes. They come from Ireland and other parts of Europe.
The museum's 'Treasury Room' holds many of these special items. Among them are the Arthur Cross and the Arthur Chalice. You can also see medieval Christian pieces like the Antrim Cross, the Cashel Bell, and the Hohenzollern Crucifix.
Sybil Connolly Fashion
The Sybil Connolly collection at The Hunt Museum is very special. It includes different documents, sketches, letters, and photographs. There are also ceramic and textile items. The textile collection has 45 pieces designed by Sybil Connolly during her career. Most of these, including famous dresses like the "Heiress Dress" and "Pink Ice Dress," were given to the museum by Gertrude Hunt.
Horse Outside Art
In 2011, a life-sized model of a horse was placed outside the museum. Young people aged 10–18 painted this horse. Another painted horse joined it in 2012. These horse models are made of fibreglass. 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
