05 Feb 2015
Whitworth Art Gallery to reopen after major renovations
BY Alice Davis
Manchester, UK’s “gallery in the park” will reopen its doors on 14 February following a £15m (US$23m, €20m) makeover by architectural firm MUMA.
The work doubles the public space and extends the exhibition floor, while incorporating educational areas and a storage centre.
The contemporary art gallery, in the grounds of the University of Manchester, has had two wings added to the rear of the 19th-century building. The extension's brickwork takes its inspiration from patterns in the gallery’s textile collection. Inside, an Edwardian staircase has also been renovated.
“We have long held the view that the gallery and the park should be a unified experience for our visitors. Our new building makes this a reality,” said Maria Balshaw, director of the Whitworth.
The project received £8.5m (US$13m, €11m) in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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