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The Dorich House Museum (1936)

The Museum, which is the former home of the internationally acclaimed Estonian Sculptor Dora Gordine (1895-1991), holds the major collection of her bronzes, paintings and drawings, and a superb collection of Russian Imperial Art, gathered by her husband, the Hon. Richard Hare. The two studios, gallery and top floor apartment and were all designed by Gordine herself in 1935/6 in the art deco modern style. You may recognise her stylish and artistic interiors, which have been used as sets for films, videos and TV programmes.

Richard Hare died in 1966, but at the time or Gordine’s death in 1991, her executors were still searching for a suitable custodian to satisfy the terms of a joint bequest by the Hares to leave the house and its collections in trust for the education and enjoyment of the British public. Following an introduction through the Board of Governors, Kingston University rescued the house and its collections from dereliction in 1993 and the newly restored building was opened in 1996.

The house became a Museum in 2004, and was awarded Full Accreditation status in 2009 under the MLA Museum Accreditation Scheme which sets nationally agreed standards for all museums in the UK.

StaffSpace internal news item: Dorich House awarded Museum 'Accreditation'