The Glucksman

The Glucksman is a contemporary art museum in the historic lower grounds of University College Cork. Named in honour of one of its founding donors, the American financier and philanthropist Lewis Glucksman, the building was opened by President Mary McAleese on 14 October 2004. Designed by O'Donnell + Tuomey architects, the gallery has won numerous awards for its architecture and creative programmes. The Glucksman presents ambitious exhibitions of Irish and international art alongside a range of events and activities designed to encourage participation from all visitors, whether an art professional or first time gallery-goer. The Glucksman is a creative and flexible organisation that responds quickly and thoughtfully to economic, social, technological, cultural and demographic changes that take place in Ireland and globally. During the COVID19 pandemic, the Glucksman developed online and offsite programmes that enabled audiences to continue their creative engagement with the museum. In 2022, the Glucksman was honoured by the European Museum Academy as winner of the European Art Museum award. In their award citation, the Art Museum Award judges said: “excellence in curatorial practice, collections care and audience engagement constitute the core values of the Glucksman. The museum puts sustainability and inclusion at the core of their mission, and the staff has realised impressive results with their projects, which serve as an inspiration for museums all over the world. The museum brings communities and artists together, to explore, visualise and express their thoughts and opinions on important societal issues. The Glucksman prioritises its role as a civic institution that enables creative agency among diverse communities and is therefore well-deserving of the Art Museum Award.”