Millennium Gallery facts for kids
The Millennium Gallery is a cool art gallery and museum right in the middle of Sheffield, England. It opened in April 2001. This was part of a big city project called Heart of the City.
You can find the gallery easily in the city centre. It's near the main train station. It's also close to the Central Library and Graves Art Gallery. Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Theatres are nearby too.
The building was designed by architects Pringle Richards Sharratt. It's mostly made of concrete and glass. Inside, there are several galleries. They stretch out from a main walkway. This walkway connects Arundel Gate to the Sheffield Winter Garden.
In 2011, the gallery was very popular. It was the 15th most-visited free attraction in England. Museums Sheffield takes care of running the gallery.
The Millennium Gallery has two main collections that are always there. It also has two spaces for special, changing exhibitions. You can even hold events like weddings there. Plus, there's a cafe and a shop to visit.
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Discover the Ruskin Collection
The Ruskin Collection is a special part of the gallery. It was started by a famous Victorian thinker named John Ruskin. He wanted to inspire the workers of Sheffield. So, he created this collection in 1875. It was first at St George's Museum in Walkley, Sheffield.
This collection includes many interesting items. You can see beautiful watercolours and drawings. There are also prints, plaster casts, and minerals. You'll find illustrated books, old manuscripts, and coins too. The Guild of St George owns this amazing collection. Museums Sheffield manages it at the Millennium Gallery.
The gallery space for this collection was updated in 2011. This allows them to show different items more often. The collection is very large and some pieces are delicate. Because of this, not everything can be on display at once.
The writer Marcel Proust once wrote about the Ruskin Collection. He said its catalogue was like a summary of all arts and sciences. He noted that photos of famous paintings were next to mineral collections. He felt that Ruskin's work, like his museum, was truly universal.
Explore the Metalwork Collection
Sheffield is famous for its metalwork. The gallery's Metalwork Collection has over 13,000 objects. This collection is very important. It has been given "Designated Collection" status by the DCMS. This means it's a top collection in England. It's important both nationally and internationally.
The collection has the largest group of Sheffield-made cutlery. This includes knives, forks, and spoons. It also has "holloware" like bowls and teapots. This collection was put together as a reference. It shows examples of great design and craftsmanship. The goal was to inspire local manufacturers, designers, and makers.
Creative Craft & Design Exhibitions
The Craft & Design gallery is a space for temporary shows. It continues the idea of the Ruskin and Metalwork collections. It aims to inspire creativity. It does this by showing excellent examples of old and new craft and design.
In recent years, there have been many cool exhibitions. These include shows by artists like Kid Acne. There was also "Graphic Nature" in 2011. In 2012, "Under the Sea" was featured. In 2013, "Designed to Shine" celebrated 100 years of stainless steel. Stainless steel was discovered in Sheffield.
Major Special Exhibitions
The special exhibition space is the biggest in Sheffield. It was built to host large traveling exhibitions. These often come from national partners. Examples include the V&A and Tate galleries.
Many big exhibitions have been held here. In 2008, there was "Vivienne Westwood: the Exhibition." In 2010, "Watercolour in Britain" and "Restless Times" were shown. "John Martin: Painting the Apocalypse" was a highlight in 2011. In 2012, visitors saw "The Family in British Art" and "Paul Morrison: Auctorum." "Force of Nature: Picturing Ruskin's Landscape" was featured in 2013.
