The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow today has announced a £249,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The funding will allow The Hunterian to carry out a crucial scoping project that will shape the future of its public-facing venues, the Hunterian Museum and Hunterian Art Gallery, which are significant parts of Glasgow’s built heritage.

The Hunterian Museum, housed in the University’s Gilbert Scott building, has been open to the public since 1870. The Hunterian Art Gallery, in the William Whitfield building, was constructed between 1973 and 1981.

The Hunterian is Scotland’s oldest public museum, with collections spanning arts, sciences and humanities. Since it opened in 1807, The Hunterian has been an invaluable academic and community resource for learning and understanding. Today The Hunterian is committed to becoming a more meaningful place for more diverse audiences.

Funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow The Hunterian to identify what is required to revitalise its ageing buildings, safeguard its important collections and serve the needs of its communities.

The project, titled ‘Unlocking the Potential of The Hunterian: The Changing Museum’, will enable The Hunterian to create a clear plan and set of activities to understand what is needed to achieve transformational change.

As well as a comprehensive survey of the buildings, funded and carried out by the University of Glasgow, the project will also consider what happens inside the venues.

Putting people at the heart of this work, ‘Unlocking the Potential of The Hunterian’ will take a participatory approach and build equitable relationships with stakeholders and communities, giving them a central role in defining what The Hunterian will be for the next generation.

Through a programme of survey work, consultation, collaboration and co-production, The Hunterian will explore barriers to inclusion, opening up the collections to more diverse voices and working with them to develop future programmes and displays.

 Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Scotland, said: "We are very pleased that thanks to National Lottery players we are able to support this important project and invest in the future of The Hunterian collections and Scotland's oldest public museum. 

"Generations of visitors and researchers have enjoyed and learned from The Hunterian collections and this project will help to ensure they continue to provide an important and relevant resource." 

Steph Scholten, Director of The Hunterian said: “We are delighted to receive this funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to undertake this crucial foundational work. When our vision is realised, our collections will be protected, displayed in revitalised, sustainable venues and will meet the needs of all of our visitors.

"We will work with our communities to give them a central role in shaping the future of The Hunterian, creating spaces where people can think critically, and can come together to both challenge and find common ground.” 

At the project’s conclusion, The Hunterian will better understand the needs of its audiences and the work required to safeguard and enhance its venues, including the safe and sustainable display of its collections.

Completion of the project will allow The Hunterian to develop a future bid to fund the redevelopment work necessary to conserve and upgrade the buildings.

‘Unlocking the Potential of The Hunterian: The Changing Museum’ will run throughout 2025, and the findings will be made available in Spring 2026.

 

 

 

First published: 2 December 2024

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