Heide Museum of Modern Art

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Jeff Thomson's "Cows" - one of the Museum's most recognisable works.

The Heide Museum of Modern Art is located in Bulleen, Victoria, Australia and was established in 1981. The site was originally owned by the prominent Melbourne art collectors John and Sunday Reed, whose private farm-house was known as Heide (and now Heide I). Heide I remains on the site, alongside the newer house, Heide II, which was designed by David McGlashan of Melbourne architecture firm McGlashan and Everist and is an iconic example of modernist architecture in Victoria. Heide II was used as the originally public gallery, but is now undergoing restoration as part of the site's redevelopment, which is expected to be completed by March 2006. The main gallery is known as Heide III, and is also being redeveloped.

Heide was an "idyllic refuge of inspiration for artists and intellectuals" from the 1930s through the 1950s. An example of this was the work of notable Australian artist Sidney Nolan, whose famous Ned Kelly series were painted in the dining room of Heide I ^[1].

As well as having galleries which house a significant collection of modern and contemporary art, the site is known for the large gardens which surround the various buildings, and are home to numerous sculpture and installation art pieces.

On July 13, 2006 the museum re-opened after a $3 million dollar renovation and extension to incorporate the new Albert and Barbara Tucker Gallery were completed. The new buildings were designed by O'Connor + Houle Architecture. ^[2]