This unique and important directory incorporates some 3,200 entries. It covers all types and sizes of museums; galleries of paintings, sculpture and photography; and buildings and sites of particular historic interest. It also provides an extensive index listing over 3,200 subjects. The directory covers national collections and major buildings, but also the more unusual, less well-known and local exhibits and sites. The Directory of Museums, Galleries and Buildings of Historic Interest in the United Kingdom is an indispensable reference source for any library, an ideal companion for researcher and enthusiast alike, and an essential purchase for anyone with an interest in the cultural and historical collections of the UK. Features include: * Alphabetically listed entries, which are also indexed by subject for ease of reference * Entries include the name and address of the organization, telephone and fax numbers, email and internet addresses, a point of contact, times of opening and facilities for visitors * A breakdown of the collections held by each organization, giving a broad overview of the main collection as a whole * Details of special collections are provided and include the period covered as well as the number of items held.

This richly illustrated book tells the story of art in Belfast from its early beginnings in the mid-eighteenth century to the opening in 1888 of the town's first rate-supported art gallery, a suite of rooms in the Free Public Library in Royal Avenue (known today as the Central Reference Library). Primary sources are used, charting the growth of the city into a lively centre for the trading of art. Despite the lack of financial support for local artistic ventures, Belfast maintained a flourishing art market through a variety of auction houses. When the first commercial art gallery was opened in 1864 an exhibiting society, the Art Union of Belfast, was formed. This prestigious space and body developed, and later public-spirited individuals re-established amenities for art education within the community and provided intellectual recreation for the working-class population. Their efforts led to the opening of a new School of Art in 1870 and the Free Public Library in 1888. This neglected area of Belfast's cultural life is given an authoritative reappraisal and places events in context for the first time. It contains much new material and a wide range of illustrations.Ã?Â?Ã?Â?