Test Timeline

Merzbarn Timeline

April 1947
April 28

Schwitters and Harry Pierce meet through a portrait commission  Read more

May 1947
May 28

Agreement made for Schwitters to use Mr Pierce’s barn to create a new Merzbau Read More

June 1945
June 27

Schwitters and Wantee arrive in Ambleside, make a living by selling portraits and local landscapes  Read more

August – November 1947
June 28

Schwitters and assistants work on the Merzbarn  Read more

December 1947
June 28

Schwitters collapses and is taken into hospital  Read more

January 1948
June 28

Schwitters dies without returning to the Merzbarn. His son Ernst takes photographs in the barn.  Read more

February 1948
June 28

Mr Pierce takes action, clears the barn and prepares the Merzbarn for exhibition  Read more

May 1948 – 1951
June 28

Merzbarn exhibition open to the public  Read more

1955 – 59
June 28

Merzbarn exhibition open to the public again Read more

1960 – 65
June 28

The barn mostly used for storage again  Read more

1960 – 65
June 28

Negotiations to save the Merzbarn  Read more

March 1965
June 28

Mr Pierce signs Deed of Gift to University of Newcastle Read more

May 1965
June 28

Richard Hamilton leads students to make a pre-removal survey  Read more

July – September 1965
June 28

Contractors prepare the Merzbarn to be moved  Read more

September 1965
June 28

Merzbarn removed from Cylinders to Newcastle University Read more

June 1966
June 28

Merzbarn installed in the new Hatton Gallery  Read more

1966 – 67
June 28

Restoration and conservation work  Read more

1967 – 2002
June 28

Merzbarn on public exhibition, in and out of view  Read more

1997
June 28

Hatton Gallery threat of closure  Read more

1998
June 28

Merzbarn attacked by a gallery visitor Read more

2007
June 28

Agreement with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums to take over management of the Hatton Gallery  Read more

2015 – 2017
June 28

Re-design of the Gallery and major conservation project for the Merzbarn Read more

2017
June 28

The Hatton re-opens, with the Merzbarn conserved and presented anew  Read more

2019
July 1

Launch of Merzbarn history website

July 1947
July 1

Grant offered by Museum of Modern Art, New York  Read more

1952 – 54
July 1

The barn mostly used for storage Read more