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The Burrell Collection
The Burrell Collection
Pollok Country Park
2060 Pollokshaws Road
Glasgow,
G43 1AT
Phone: 0141 287 2550
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Sir William Burrell and his wife, Constance, Lady Burrell gifted his collection of over 9,000 works of art to Glasgow in 1944. The city acquired one of the greatest collections created by one person. William Burrell had been an art collector since his teens, and the collection is made up of a vast array of works of all periods and from all over the world.
At the Burrell Collection you can wander round important collections of medieval art, tapestries, alabasters, stained glass and English oak furniture. There are many European paintings, including works by Degas and Cézanne, an important collection of Islamic art, and modern sculpture including works by Epstein and Rodin. Children will be fascinated by the works from days of long ago - we have a fine collection of works from ancient China, Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Architectural features from the collection have been integrated into the structure of the building. You can walk under arches built for medieval lords and ladies. There are also reconstructions of rooms from Sir William’s home, furnished in gothic style with items from the collection.
In 1944, Burrell and his wife signed the Deed of Gift of their collection to the City of Glasgow. They wanted the collection to be housed in a building 16 miles from the centre of the Glasgow, to show the works of art to their greatest advantage, and also to avoid the damaging effects of air pollution.
Sadly, no suitable site had been identified by Burrell's death in 1958. But Mrs Anne Maxwell Macdonald and her family gifted Pollok House and 360 acres of Pollok Estate to the City of Glasgow in 1967. Although within the city boundaries, it was agreed that this offered a wonderful setting for the collections.
The Burrell was purpose built and was the result of an architectural competition. It opened in 1983. Care was taken to ensure harmony between the building and its collections, and the park it is situated in.
The light and airy building, its woodland setting and the breadth of Sir William Burrell's collection make a visit to The Burrell Collection an experience not to be missed.
The park and woodland offer plenty of outdoor activities too -why not come for a walk and a picnic, or see the changing seasons reflected in the trees?
Gallery Guide
Download the Burrell Collection Gallery Guide.
Leaflet
The Visit Glasgow Museums leaflet is available in six languages. Find out how to download a copy of the Visit Glasgow Museums leaflet.
Sir William Burrell
Find out more about Sir William Burrell from the University of Glasgow website.
Visit the One Million Days in China website.
CARP
CARP (Chinese Art Research into Provenance) is a compilation of sources for provenance research of Chinese works of art, for use by institutions and researchers. Using The Burrell Collection as a pilot, the project documents records relating to dealers and collectors who specialised in Chinese art during the first half of the twentieth century.
Not only is the Collection representative of the collecting pattern of western collectors of the period but there are full records of William Burrell’s (1861-1958) purchases which can be traced back to previous owners and to a number of major dealers whose archives still exist and which are accessible. Find out more from the CARP website.
