University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries facts for kids
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| Former name | Maltwood Art Gallery and Museum |
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| Established | 1964 (collection established 1953 but with no permanent museum facility) |
| Location | 630 Yates Street Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1K9 |
| Type | Art galleries |
| Collections | Indigenous art, art from the Pacific Northwest, contemporary art |
The University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries (Legacy) is an art museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It takes care of a huge art collection with about 18,000 items. These include Canadian, Indigenous, and international art from different times.
Legacy helps people learn about art through special shows, displays on campus, books, and online projects. They also host public events and programs. The Legacy has three main places where they show art: the Legacy Art Gallery downtown, the Legacy Maltwood on campus, and the First Peoples House. Plus, over 2,000 artworks are displayed in buildings all around the university and in the community. This shows how art can help with learning and bringing people together.
Contents
History of the Galleries
The "University of Victoria Art Collection" started in 1953. Its first goal was to put art in buildings around the university campus.
How the Galleries Started
In 1964, the "Maltwood Art Gallery and Museum" was created. This happened because John and Katharine Maltwood gave their art collection and their large house, called The Thatch, to the university. The university then turned The Thatch into a public art museum. The Maltwoods' gift included many different things, like Chinese pottery, fabrics, old English furniture, Canadian paintings, and Katharine Maltwood's own sculptures, paintings, and drawings.
In 1978, the University of Victoria Art Collection and the Maltwood Art Gallery and Museum joined together. A special space for the collection opened in the Jamie Cassels Centre (which used to be called the University Centre).
Becoming the Legacy Art Galleries
In 2000, the gallery received another big gift from Michael C. Williams. He donated his large art collection and several buildings downtown. This led to the creation of the "University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries," often called "Legacy." This new name covers all the art spaces. It includes the "Maltwood Art Gallery and Museum" on campus and the "Legacy Art Gallery and Café" in one of the downtown buildings from Michael Williams. The name "Legacy" honors all the people who have given art to the collection over the years.
In 2011, the Maltwood Art Gallery and Museum moved to the lower level of the McPherson Library and was renamed the "Maltwood Gallery." The Legacy Café and Art Gallery also changed its name to "Legacy Downtown." Today, the main places to see art at Legacy are Legacy Downtown (on Yates and Broad streets), the Maltwood Gallery (on campus), and the First Peoples House (also on campus).
Art Collections
The Legacy Art Galleries mostly get new artworks through gifts from generous people. The two biggest donors to the University of Victoria Art Collections were John and Katharine Maltwood and Michael C. Williams.
The Maltwood Collection
The Maltwood Collection is a special part of the University of Victoria Art Collections. It originally belonged to John and Katharine Maltwood. They traveled a lot and collected many items that showed their spiritual interests. These pieces were displayed in their home in Victoria, along with Katharine's own artworks. The Maltwoods believed in only having things in their home that were useful or beautiful.
When they moved to Victoria, the Maltwoods decided to create a museum for their art. They hoped to give it to the city one day. They bought an old restaurant in the Royal Oak area of Victoria, British Columbia and called it The Thatch. It served as both their home and a gallery. Their collection included household items from different time periods, like old English furniture, Oriental rugs, paintings from around the world, Chinese pottery, and Middle Eastern metalwork. It also featured Katharine Maltwood's own art, writings, and journals. A library of art books about their collection was also part of the gift.
The Maltwood Collection was given to the University of Victoria Art Collections in 1964. It stayed at The Thatch until 1977. Then, it moved to its current location in the University Centre at the University of Victoria. The Maltwood Art Museum and Gallery now takes care of the art objects from this gift. The University of Victoria’s Special Collections keeps the Maltwoods’ personal letters, journals, and books, including Katharine's writings.
The Michael C. Williams Collection
When Michael Collard Williams passed away in 2000, he gave most of his belongings to the University of Victoria. This gift was worth $17 million, making it the largest gift the university had received at that time. The Williams Collection has over 1,100 art objects. These include drawings, paintings, and sculptures, with a focus on modern and historical art from the West Coast, Aboriginal art, and antique pieces.
Michael C. Williams moved to British Columbia in 1950 and settled in Victoria in 1958. In 1977, he became very interested in protecting the city's old buildings. He worked on many projects to restore buildings in the downtown area. One of his well-known projects was the Swans Hotel and Brew Pub. This beautiful hotel used to be a warehouse. The "Art Hotel" opened in 1987 as Williams's own place to show art. The hotel still displays many artworks from the Williams collection all year long in its rooms and public areas.
The University of Victoria received many of these properties through Williams's gift. The Legacy Art Gallery and Café, located at 630 Yates St. in Victoria, was one of these buildings. The Legacy Gallery honors Williams's life and kindness. It hosts changing exhibits that feature art from his collection and other University of Victoria Art Collections. The Legacy Gallery also shows works by local and Canadian artists.
Exhibits and Shows
Since 1964, the Legacy Art Galleries have put on more than 500 art shows in different gallery spaces. These shows have featured art from the John and Katherine Maltwood Collection, the Michael C. Williams Collection, and other collections. They also include traveling exhibits, projects by university teachers and students, and works by artists from around the world. Today, the Legacy focuses on exhibits that explore "issues that matter," like those that highlight diversity and bringing people together.
See also
- List of art museums
- List of museums in British Columbia
