The University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery is an important cultural asset and is rated as one of the top three museums in Scotland because of the scale, range and importance of the collections. The Hunterian celebrates its bicentenary in 2007 and this offers an opportunity to reintroduce the Hunterian and its collections to its existing visitors, and promote the collections to new audiences. The Museum is currently being refurbished and redisplayed ahead of 2007 and an exciting exhibition and events programme is planned for the year itself.

The Hunterian is the legacy of Dr William Hunter, a pioneering obstetrician and teacher. His passion for collecting was legendary. Hunter was born and raised locally and was a student at the University of Glasgow. He moved to London in 1741, where he found fame and fortune as physician to the Royal family and teacher of anatomy and surgery. Hunter lavished his wealth on building up his vast and varied private collection, ranging from medical and natural sciences to ethnography, coins, books and art.

The Hunterian Museum on the grounds of the old College on the High Street (Circa 1870.)

When he died in 1783 he left his entire collection to the University of Glasgow, along with the money to create a suitable museum. The Hunterian opened its doors in 1807, making it Scotland’s oldest public museum.

www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk

The manufacture of the Corian reception counters for the refurbishment of the Hunterian gallery (due to open in May, 2007.) represents a prestigious contract for Rearo. The company had a smilar contract last year when we were asked to manufacture the reception counter for the Tate Modern Gallery in London for their celebrated 'hanging of the Tate' in the summer of 2006.