The group which stopped the shutters from going up at Kirriemuir’s famous camera obscura is turning its attention to rescuing the wee red town’s museum.
And Kirriemuir Regeneration Group say they want local voices of all ages to tell them what they would like to see in the historic building.
The doors closed on Gateway to the Glens museum last month.
Angus Alive handed the attraction back to the council in a cost-cutting move.
It is one of four buildings the arms’ length leisure trust has offloaded in a bid to stay afloat.
Brechin Town House Museum, Edzell’s Inglis Hall and Arbroath Community Centre are also now shut.
The council hope community groups will take them on.
KRG is leading a feasibility study into the future of the building in the Square.
In 2015, the group took over the running of the camera obscura at The Hill.
The National Trust for Scotland venue was threatened with closure until KRG formed to save it.
It is one of three in Scotland and housed in the pavilion Peter Pan author J M Barrie gifted to his home town in 1930.
Kirriemuir museum re-brand
KRG treasurer Irena Krasinska-Lobban said: “We were the only group that really wanted to take the museum idea forward.
“We’re now working with consultants on a feasibility study but what we really want is to hear from people in the town what they would like to see.
“This building is more than 400 years old and in the very heart of the town.
“For it not to be used would be a sin.
“We would hope to re-brand it to make it much more than a museum.
“It offers so much potential and brings people right into the centre of the town.
“So we need as many voices as possible to tell us what they would like to see happen, whatever age they are.”
A survey is being widely promoted in Kirrie and the group is hoping for feedback by the end of the month.
You can take part in the survey HERE.
Successful season at pavilion on The Hill
Irena said KRG is excited about taking the museum project forward on the back of another successful season at the camera obscura.
Volunteers man a cafe and the camera obscura in the roofspace which offers visitors spectacular 360 degree views for miles around.
“It was busier than ever – it just seems to grow year on year and we had a fantastic season,” said Irena.
In April, a cricket bat came ‘home’ to the Barrie pavilion after 93 years.
It was presented by Barrie to close pal Alexander Lowson – the Demon Bowler of Angus – at a match held on the day the author was granted the freedom of Kirrie.
KRG has also worked tirelessly in The Den and look after the public toilets there.
And it joined forces with Kirrie Community Council to create an outdoor gym and wheelchair-accessible swing at The Hill.
