IN some ways, the Burrell Collection - serenely housed in the heart of Pollock Country Park - can be considered Scotland's forgotten treasure.
Recently Neil Macgregor, the director of the British Museum, declared that many of its works were equal to any in his own institution, the National Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum. All too many of us, however, would admit that it is long overdue a visit.
The 2014 figures from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions show that 172,420 people walked through the portals of the Category A-listed building last year. It ranks 135th on its list by popularity, a full 107 places behind Kelvingrove, outstripped by such as Urquhart Castle and the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens.
Beautiful though the collection and its setting are, the Burrell has not been punching its weight. That is why plans for a full refurbishment, estimated to cost around £65m, have been drawn up, which would lead to more than 90 per cent of the collection being on display, and the museum transformed into an attraction fit for the 21st century. Glasgow City Council will be asked to provide half the money required, with the remainder coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund, public bodies and a fundraising campaign.
Public funds are of course at a premium just now. But what price should we put on our cultural enrichment?
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