Grainger Museum re-opens after major renewal

It is one of only a handful of autobiographical museums, and has long been recognised for its internationally significant research collection, which includes more than 100,000 items.

The building works, funded by the University with support from several bequests and donors, included major refurbishments and the installation of museum-grade air-conditioning, security and lighting systems.

The surrounding garden spaces have been landscaped, and a new café – Percy's – operates adjacent to the museum's eastern entrance.

Co-curator Ms Astrid Britt Krautschneider said she was delighted the museum had re-opened after such an intense period of redevelopment.

"During the restoration, we had to find a suitable climate-controlled venue in which to store the collection, which was moved off campus while a conservation management plan was prepared," she explained.

The Architects, Lovell Chen, worked closely with museum staff and stakeholders to develop a plan for the building’s repair and renovation which complied with the strict requirements for the heritage-listed museum.

"The result is an enormous improvement to the environment and facilities," Ms Krautschneider said. 

"For our visitors, the most immediately visible changes will be the entirely new suite of exhibitions.

"We trawled through the collections to put together a range of exhibits which tell the story of Percy Grainger’s life, work and interests, and focus on musical culture in Australia."

Among Ms Krautschneider's favourite exhibits is a portrait of the University's first Ormond Professor of Music, George W. L. Marshall-Hall, by Tom Roberts.  Marshall-Hall arranged the fundraising concert which sent the young Percy Grainger to Frankfurt to commence his music studies in 1895.

The Grainger Museum is open to the University community and the public Tuesday to Friday, 1:00pm – 4:30pm and Sunday 1:00pm – 4:30pm. Further information: http://www.grainger.unimelb.edu.au/.

On Thursday 28 October, Professor Chalon Ragsdale of the University of Arkansas will present a free public lecture, Percy Grainger: In his own words at 5.30pm in the Leigh Scott Room, first floor, Baillieu Library. RSVP to grainger@unimelb.edu.au.