This week, we head up north to Perth, Scotland for a look at the brand-new Perth Museum. The Museum opened its doors on the 30th of March after a £27 million redevelopment of the historic Edwardian building where it resides. So, joins us as we head to the ‘Home of Destiny’!
Of course only guide dogs are allowed in Perth Museum, but that didn’t stop our Golden Retriever tour guides in-training, Walter and Arthur, from having a grand time posing around the beautiful building exterior.
While Walter and Arthur enjoyed their ‘photo shoot’, I headed into the Museum to learn more about the history and stories of the region.
Celebrating the History of Perth & Kinross
As I mentioned earlier, Perth Museum is housed in an Edwardian building, and it has seen a great deal of change since it was first built. It was originally built as the Perth City Hall and saw dances, ceilidhs, bazaars, and festivals over the decades. It only seems fitting that the building continues to serve the people of Perth as well as visitors.
There are so many treasures to find in Perth Museum. Therefore, we’ll just point out some highlights in this article. There is an incredible amount of history in the Perth and Kinross region that goes back centuries. In fact, the Museum points out that the history of the city hall actually “stretches back more than a millennium” as the “site on which it stands was originally part of the burial ground for the medieval St John’s Kirk, which you can still visit next to the museum”. As soon as you walk in the Museum, you can see a Bronze Age boat. It is amazing that it still exists!
The Museum is also home to some amazing Pictish stones. One of my favourites is ‘St Madoes Cross-Slab’. It dates to the early 8th century AD.
One area of Perth Museum discusses the Georgian period. We’ve previously explored a bit of what it was like in Georgian Edinburgh. Therefore, it was interesting to compare artefacts and information from the same period in Perth.
Perthshire is known as ‘Big Tree Country’ and there are areas in Perth Museum that celebrate the diverse wildlife and nature that abounds in this beautiful part of Scotland.
Here are some more photos from our visit that you can scroll through:
Reframing Perspectives
What we like about Perth Museum is that alongside artefacts and information about life in Perth and Scotland over the centuries, it also highlights important stories that haven’t always been told. For example, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were quite fond of the Highlands- famously buying land and building Balmoral Castle. Their love of the Highlands (and Scotland) spread and became a focal point of others in the upper class- especially those from England. However, the art that was created portrayed the Highlands as a vast, empty wilderness. The Perth Museum astutely points out that this completely ignored the communities that had been there and were being moved and displaced by their landlords who were eager to take advantage of the influx of the wealthy classes to create “new more profitable or sporting uses” on the land. You can see an example of this below with the painting, Loch Katrine, by Horatio McCulloch.
We especially appreciate that the Perth Museum isn’t afraid to face and tackle difficult but important topics. For example, they highlight that their collection “contains many problematic legacies of empire, colonial exploitation, human trafficking, and racism”. Furthermore, as is the case with most museum collections, we must acknowledge that many artefacts acquired in the past were often looted or stolen from other cultures. And, if they weren’t stolen, they were often acquired with money that was gained directly or indirectly from slavery.
Perth Museum states that there are certain questions they explore in their new museum. Questions such as- “Whose stories get told and whose don’t? Who is represented and who is erased? Who gets to tell those stories and who has the right to hold these objects?”. We know these aren’t easy questions to ask, but they are essential if we want museums to have a place in contemporary society.
In addition to their permanent galleries, the Perth Museum also has temporary exhibitions. They currently have ‘Waters Rising’ on display until 16 March 2025 (please note that this exhibit requires a paid ticket).
The Stone of Destiny
Perhaps the jewel- or rather the stone- in the crown of the Perth Museum is the Stone of Destiny. The Stone of Destiny was recently relocated from Edinburgh Castle to the Perth Museum. This significant move marks an important chapter in Scotland's rich heritage, as the Stone, a symbol of Scottish royalty, has played a pivotal role in coronation ceremonies for centuries. In fact, the relocation to the Perth Museum makes sense as the Stone of Destiny was first used for coronation ceremonies at Scone (“its first documented use was in 1249 for the inauguration of the boy-king, Alexander III”). Therefore, it is a celebrated homecoming as the Stone has returned to Perthshire for the first time in over 700 years.
The Perth Museum aims to make this iconic symbol more accessible to the public as it is now free to visit. They have created an engaging exhibit that highlights the Stone's storied past and its enduring legacy in Scotland's national identity. Neither photography nor video is allowed within the Stone of Destiny exhibition.
Please note that, as of this writing, Perth Museum requires visitors to book a free ticket (they’re timed at 10-minute intervals) to see the Stone of Destiny. The Museum recommends that people book in advance to guarantee their desired time slot, but “a limited number of tickets are also available to book in-person at the Museum on the day of your visit, on a first come, first served basis.” More information can be found on the Perth Museum website.
Visiting Perth Museum
There are so many wonderful exhibitions, artefacts, and art on display at the Perth Museum, but, as I previously said, we have only covered some of the highlights from our visit with this post. Therefore, we highly recommend you visit in person. I’m pleased to say that entry to the Museum is free, but we always encourage people to donate if possible.
After you have finished exploring this wonderful museum, be sure to take a much-deserved break at their café, Stone, where they serve a variety of lunch options, hot beverages, and desserts.
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Until next time- Explore & Discover!
