Grainger Museum

Two years researching free things to do in Melbourne and I saw nothing to advertise the superb Grainger Museum, just coming across a small reference to it while googling recently.

It needs a lot more promotion because it’s fascinating.

Percy Grainger was an Australian born composer/musician with prolific talent. OK he was a bit strange obviously but that's what makes this museum so interesting.............

............I'd gone along not expecting to find anything worth adding to this website only to think ‘wow, Australians need to know about this’!

The museum's located in its own building within the grounds of the University of Melbourne.............

.............Its lovely inside architecturally which is a bit of a surprise because with the exception of the doorway entrance area of this 1930’s art deco style building, the outside reminded me of a large old toilet block with its obscured glazed windows!

Percy Grainger was obviously a rather big-headed character as it was he himself who wanted and paid for the museum to be built..........

...........He collected over 100,000 items to be seen (though the museum only shows about 1% of them at any one time)............

............Apparently he thought his music could only be appreciated properly with the benefit of seeing his possessions/collections............

..............It may be true as from what's on show I can vouch that I’ll be listening to some of his music soon to see what it was like!

Percy was born in Brighton, Melbourne in 1882 but left for London with his mother when he was 13. He lived most of his life in the USA so he’s not very well known here out of music circles as far as I can tell but he should be! Go along to the museum and let me know what you think.

His architect father was actually very well known too............

............He designed the Princes Bridge which is the bridge by Flinders Street railway station that you can see here.

There was a small section in the museum devoted to his father but I don’t think this is a permanent exhibit.

You’ll find the Grainger Museum at Gate 13 Royal Parade, The University of Melbourne, Parkville. Opening times are Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 1pm to 4:30pm and Mondays during semester from 12 noon to 3:30pm when there's a performance in Melba Hall which is the next door building. It's closed Saturday, public holidays and all December and January.

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