Sarjeant Gallery facts for kids
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The Sarjeant Gallery is a famous art museum in Queen's Park, Whanganui. It holds a large collection of art from New Zealand and around the world. The gallery is also known by its Māori name, Te Whare o Rehua, which means "House of Inspiration."
After being closed for ten years for major upgrades, the gallery celebrated its grand reopening on November 9, 2024. That same year, it was named one of the best cultural spots in the world by National Geographic.
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The Story of the Sarjeant Gallery
The gallery exists thanks to a generous gift from a man named Henry Sarjeant. In 1912, he left money to the city in his will to build an art gallery. He wanted it to be a place "for the inspiration of ourselves and those who come after us."
Designing a Masterpiece
To find the perfect design for the new gallery, the city held a competition for architects. The winner was Edmund Anscombe, but a talented young student in his office, Donald Hosie, likely did much of the design work.
The building, which opened in 1919, has a unique cross shape. It was designed in a neo-classical style, which means it looks like an ancient Greek or Roman temple. In the center, a large dome has a circular opening at the top called an oculus, which lets in natural light.
Henry Sarjeant's wife, Ellen Sarjeant, was also very important. She helped gather the first artworks for the collection and set up the systems needed to run the gallery in its early days.
Because of its historical and architectural importance, the building is listed as a Category I Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand. This is the highest level of protection a building can have in New Zealand.
A Major Upgrade for a New Era
By the 21st century, the historic building needed a lot of work. It needed to be made safer against earthquakes and restored to its original beauty. In 1999, the architecture firm Warren and Mahoney was chosen for the job.
In 2014, the gallery and its entire art collection moved to a temporary home while the original building was redeveloped. The huge project was paid for by the government, the gallery's own trust, and many other supporters.
The architects worked with a local iwi artist group, Te Kāhui Toi o Tūpoho, on the new design. They built a modern new wing and a special storage facility for the art. The new wing was named Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa to honor a respected local Māori leader, Archie Taiaroa.
The beautifully restored and expanded gallery finally reopened to the public on November 9, 2024.
What's Inside the Collection?
The Sarjeant Gallery's collection is huge, with over 8,300 artworks that span 400 years of history. When it first started, the gallery focused on British and European art from the 1800s and early 1900s. Today, the collection includes art from the 16th century all the way to modern times.
You can see all kinds of art, including:
- Paintings by famous old masters and today's top artists.
- Drawings and prints on paper.
- Sculptures made from bronze and other materials.
- Pottery, ceramics, and glass art.
- Modern video art.
The collection features famous international artists like Edward Coley Burne-Jones and Frank Brangwyn. It also has works by many important New Zealand artists, such as Colin McCahon, Ralph Hotere, Charles Frederick Goldie, and Gottfried Lindauer.
The gallery also holds the largest collection of works by Edith Collier, a painter who was born in Whanganui. You can see most of the gallery's collection online.
More Than Just a Gallery
The Sarjeant Gallery does more than just display art. Since 1986, it has run the Tylee Cottage Residency. This program invites artists to live and work in Whanganui for a period of time, giving them a dedicated space to be creative.
The gallery has been led by several directors who have helped it grow. They started important programs like the artist residency and began using the central dome space for special art installations.
