After undergoing a £27m renovation of the former city hall, Perth Museum will be opening its doors to the public this weekend. Its centrepiece is the Stone of Destiny, a symbol of Scotland’s monarchy, which was seized by King Edward I of England in the late 13th century and remained in England for 700 years before returning to Scotland in 1996. Though this ancient attraction has received the most attention, the goal of the museum is to showcase Perth and Kinross “at the centre of Scotland’s story.” Its collection includes over 3,000 local objects, spanning 10,000 years, such as the 3,000-year-old Carpow Logboat that was retrieved from the River Tay in 2006.
The building was nearly demolished, but now it has been given new life through this project. The City Hall hosted renowned concerts by The Kinks, Cream, and The Who in the 1960s, but it became redundant as an arts venue after Perth Concert Hall was completed in 2005. Suggestions for the space included transforming it into a luxury hotel or a food hall. However, in 2016, the decision was made to turn the old building into a museum that would serve as a new home for the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone.
Before the museum opens its doors to the public, potential visitors will have to book their tickets in advance to see the Stone of Destiny. The building itself has been built around its high security provisions, as it is a live ceremonial object that is only taken out for coronations and ceremonial events. Nevertheless, the museum houses over 3,000 local objects, including an outstanding collection of unique Pictish crosses, which are being interpreted in new ways.
The museum is funded by a £17m investment from Perth and Kinross Council and £10m from the UK government’s Tay Cities Deal funding. Culture Perth and Kinross’s chief executive Helen Smout believes that the new museum is probably the biggest cultural project Perth has seen in two centuries. The museum’s centrepiece, the Stone of Destiny, will no doubt be the draw for many visitors, but items such as a cast of the heaviest British rod-caught salmon and a bronze age logboat preserved in the peaty soil of the area for centuries are equally fascinating
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