A new gift in memory of the late Professor Barry Nurcombe AM will allow The University of Queensland’s RD Milns Antiquities Museum to open on selected weekends for 4 years.
The museum will now open on the first Sunday of the month from 10am – 2pm, aligning with the monthly Friends of Antiquity Sunday Series program that commences at 2pm those days. Professor Nurcombe was a long term supporter of the Classics at UQ, particularly ancient Greek, and frequently attended both the monthly meetings of the Friends of Antiquity group and the weekly ancient Greek reading group.
Museum Manager James Donaldson said they were very grateful to receive this bequest.
“This generous gift in memory of Professor Nurcombe will allow us to share the achievements of the ancient Greeks and Romans with a wider audience,” he said.
Professor Nurcombe graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from UQ in 1955.
He later graduated with a Diploma of Psychological Medicine in 1959 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1973.
He had a long and extensive career in child and adolescent psychiatry and published numerous scientific articles and books.
His two-volume translation of Homer’s Iliad was published by Cambridge Scholars Press in 2020.
Professor Nurcombe died in 2023 at the age of 90 and the gift was given by his son, Professor Victor Nurcombe.
Professor Alastair Blanshard, Museum Director, was a great admirer of Professor Nurcombe’s work and spoke at the launch of his translation of the Iliad.
"Barry was a much loved and admired member of the Classics community at the University of Queensland. His deep affection for ancient Greek language and literature was genuine and profound. He had a real gift for capturing the subtleties and excitement of ancient literature. We hope visitors to the museum will likewise be caught up in the mysteries and wonders of the ancient world."
In addition to new weekend openings, the Museum is open 9:30am - 2:00pm Monday to Tuesday and 9:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday to Friday.
Parking is free at the University on weekends and there are numerous public transport links including both bus and ferry.
