Percy Aldridge Grainger had a grand vision for this museum – its purpose was to “leave a legacy to future generations in the form of a permanent and tangible record of his family heritage, artistic influences, creative achievements, personal beliefs and aspirations”. The other role which the establishment of this museum played was to assist him to deal with the grief of losing his mother whilst stamping an indelible, very personal, mark within Australian cultural history.

Grainger wanted to be remembered as the first great Australian composer. This was far more important to him than his skills as a performer. As this museum tour will demonstrate, Grainger was far more than either of those things. He was an inventor of curious and useful items; he was an artist of some skill; he was an amateur museologist and ethnographer; and he was a promotor of the music of other great composers whom he met in his lifetime. This museum was designed and established in the grand traditions of the great house-museums of the 19th Century (Nemec, 2006 p. 23) – can it continue to be relevant into the 21st century? Percy Grainger saw himself as a great Australian – influenced by the democratic nature of the new country. Can the modern visitor develop the same opinion of this man? This tour will lead you to determine your own answers to these questions.