Fun in the Park

After getting back from London last week, we were still in touristy mode and decided to do some of the things we've been meaning to do for ages but never quite get round too. First stop was the Burrell Collection, in Pollok Park, which I'd not been too for about ten years.

Built in 1988, this award winning structure houses the private collection of art and antiquities collected by Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance during beginning of the 20th Century which they gifted to the people of Glasgow in 1944. Its a vast collection of over 9000 objects ranging from a tiny ivory carved pipe in the shape of a whale, to early paintings by Cezanne, sculptures by Rodin and complete replicas of the hall, dining room and drawing room of the Burrell's mansion home near Berwick upon Tweed.

The collection is really very interesting but one thing I never found out when I was there was exactly how Burrell came to own all these pieces as some of them are quite strange. He brought back doorways from Italian castles, Windows from English churches and bits of ceilings from around the world. He must have been a very odd tourist. "Hello there Mr foreign chap. I'd like to buy your door as a souvenir of my holiday." Guess it was the days before places started selling pencil sharpers with their name on so he didn't have much choice. As we walked around the collection I kept imagining a little Italian churches suddenly missing their stain glass windows as everyone stood staring "mama mia."

I think we will probably go back and this time we'll go on one of the official guided tours as I think you probably get a lot more out of the collection when the stories behind the pieces and the stories behind the collecting of the pieces are told. We did think we had joined the museums free tour just as we arrived, but embarrassingly after a few minutes we were informed we'd actually joined a private tour and had to scuttle away while a group of twenty odd pensioners gave us dirty looks. We did hang around the tour long enough to hear the story of own of the museums star pieces, the large urn in the central hall, which apparently is the template from which modern day trophies are based and which also has the likeness carved on its rear of a woman the sculptor disliked. She is easy to spot, she's the one that's been carved with donkeys ears.
Strangely my favourite piece in the museum was not actually part of Burrell's collection. It was part of an exhibition of kids art being held in the central changing exhibition space. For some reason I just find the above picture of Elvis very enjoyable and a far better tribute to the King than the nonsense BBC Elvis impersonator programme on Saturday nights.
Pollok Park is a great place, its so huge when you are walking in the middle, surrounded by woodland you really could be in the countryside. There is also so much going on to keep you interested, from the Golf courses, rugby and football clubs, dog training, horses, Pollok House etc its a brilliant place to bring a picnic and go for a walk or drop into the Burrell's cafe which appears to be a very popular place for Southside mum's to meet for a coffee. There is also an excellent play park beside the Burrell car park and it was absolutely chocka with kids when we went past. Not bad all free as well which after the £8 tickets for everything in London was very welcome.