Redisplaying Oxford’s unique collection of musical instruments
The Bate Collection comprises more than 2,000 musical instruments dating from the medieval period to the modern day.
A grant of £250,000 from the Wolfson Foundation will support the redisplay of the Bate Collection in a purpose built, climate-controlled exhibition hall located within Oxford’s new Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. The space, which will be open to the public and free to visit, will feature permanent as well as rotating and temporary displays.
The precious collection is named after Philip Bate, who gave his holdings of European woodwind instruments to the University in 1968. It is a significant resource for both students and researchers, providing rich opportunities for learning, teaching and analysis. The redisplay of the collection will enhance these opportunities by enabling greater access to the instruments for assessment, study and use. The collection’s location within the Schwarzman Centre – which will be home to an experimental performance lab and 500-seat concert hall – will provide an ideal venue for research-led performance and events.
The creation of a new, permanent home for the Bate Collection will also lead to wider and deeper engagement with new audiences. By making previously inaccessible parts of the collection available to all, the new space will transform the way that music is shared with the public, enabling a greater number of people to take part in musicmaking and inspiring them to pursue it throughout their lives.
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities is currently under construction in the heart of the city and is due to open in 2025.
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