Work to Begin on Site 30 March 2009

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The Holburne Museum of Art sets project start date

The Holburne Museum of Art, which is supported by a Heritage Lottery Fund Stage II award of £4.3million, has agreed £6.5m fixed-fee construction costs with Sir Robert McAlpine. The Construction Team will begin to mobilise on site from Monday 30 March 2009.

The Holburne project will see the restoration of its beautiful Grade I listed home and the construction of a striking extension, designed by Eric Parry Architects. Eric Parry specialises in working with historic buildings and has recently completed the much acclaimed restoration of St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square.

Sir Robert McAlpine is one of the UK’s leading construction and civil engineering companies and has been responsible for the construction of culturally important projects such as the Imperial War Museum, the Eden Project, and the Wales Millennium Centre.

Announcing this important step, Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne, said: “Bath is one of the World’s most remarkable cities, demonstrated by its World Heritage status, and we are all very aware of the Holburne’s responsibilities within this context. We have always felt it essential to work with specialists with the necessary experience and skills.

I am confident that our architects and contractors will deliver to Bath’s residents and visitors a building of national significance and, we hope, of local pride. We are of course immensely grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for its award and to all our other donors who have made this development project possible.”

For further information please contact:
Katie Jenkins, Communications Officer,
The Holburne Museum of Art
Tel:
Email: k.jenkins@bath.ac.uk

www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com
www.ericparryarchitects.co.uk
www.hlf.org.uk

Notes to Editors

  • When it re-opens the Holburne will house a collection of fine and decorative arts, built around the delightful and exquisite art collection of Sir William Holburne – assembled in 19th century Bath. We now hold a nationally significant collection of paintings, Renaissance bronzes and maiolica, silver, sculpture, furniture and porcelain, including important and popular works by Brueghel, Gainsborough, Stubbs and Turner.  In recent years we have also established a national reputation for imaginative, scholarly and popular exhibitions.
  • The Holburne project will make us fully accessible to all visitors for the first time, allow more of the collection to be displayed than ever before and enable us to stage far more ambitious exhibitions, create a garden café and family friendly environment.
  • The total project cost is £13.6m of which £6.5m are fixed-fee construction costs and £3m will ensure our future security
  • The Holburne has so far raised £10.6m, comprising grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Lord and Lady Sainsbury’s Linbury Trust, Bath and North East Somerset Council, and many other independent donations.
  • The Holburne Project is planned to take two years. We will announce the date for re-opening in the Spring of 2010.
  • Holburne Project Lecture
    Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne and Eric Parry, architect of the Museum’s extension will give a lecture on their plans for the Holburne Project at 6.30pm Wednesday 25 March at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16 – 18 Queen Square, Bath. Tickets £5 on the door. Doors open 6pm.

Published on: 10/03/2009