The highly anticipated Bromley Collection Museum at the Old Castlemaine Gaol recently opened to the public.
Locals and visitors enjoyed a sneak peek at the new venue at a VIP launch event on April 22 with a performance by celebrated Australian singer/songwriter Kate Ceberano accompanied by the Ballarat Grammar bagpipe band.
The venue was officially opened to the public on April 23.
The museum and collection and the gardens surrounding it have been a work in progress for over four and a half years.
At times owners and creators David and Yuge Bromley say they had little direction as to where they were taking it but at other times it felt like they always knew.
“We wanted to shift the axis of what the gaol was known for, a place of despair, sadness and trauma into a place that evoked a sense of life, joy and art,” the couple said.
“The collection housed within the walls of this historic prison is a deeply personal one and it is diverse. It has not gone through the lens of a curator, but rather the rattling minds of two people who are pure and simply consumed with art and creative output.
“We wanted to celebrate the works of artists’ we love and admire as well as portray to the public that we believe art can take shape in so many different forms and on so many different levels.”
The pair said they could not have been able to get the new offering to this stage without the immense support, hard work, commitment, dedication and loyalty of their Bromley & Co team, their incredible friends and the broader ecosystem of people they work with.
“Thank you for going on this journey with us! In many ways, we feel you can walk through the museum, and you will be able to see your hand in its creation,” the pair told the crowd at the launch event.
“For us, the smiling faces that looked upon us at the recent opening was the exact outcome we wanted from the gaol…the shifting of the axis, the breathing of new life.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to the museum.”
The couple said they are still working on many things like an awesome new website, a food and beverage offering and still finessing, but for now, the Bromley Collection Museum at the Old Castlemaine Gaol is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
There is an entry fee of $20 adults, $14 concession, $10 children under 18 and free for children under 8.
