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Home News Perth & Kinross

First look inside new Perth Museum as opening day excitement builds

The £27m Perth Museum opens to the public this weekend. Here's a taste of what visitors can expect.

Perth Museum interior showing Stone of Destiny Experience
Perth Museum is celebrating the award of five stars from VisitScotland. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson
By Morag Lindsay & Gemma Bibby

Here are the long-awaited first images from inside the new Perth Museum.

The attraction will open to the public on Saturday following the £27 million restoration of the old Perth City Hall.

A full programme of events is planned for the opening weekend.

But The Courier has been granted early access. And we can now give readers a preview of what they can expect on Saturday.

The Stone of Destiny – or Stone of Scone – has returned to Perthshire for the first time in 700 years.

But the new museum has also given the city more space to exhibit its Recognised Collections of National Significance and iconic objects on loan to Perth.

These range from Perthshire Pictish stones and Roman treasures to household objects from the city’s medieval period and a model of the record-breaking Tay salmon landed by Georgina Ballantine in 1922.

Join us as we step inside Perth Museum for the first time…

All images by Steve MacDougall.

The Stone of Destiny exhibition takes centre stage in Perth Museum.
The Stone of Destiny exhibition takes centre stage.
The neon start to the Unicorn exhibition space inside Perth Museum.
The neon start to the Unicorn exhibition space.
Ceiling Boss C.1617 carving originally adorned the ceiling of the royal palace at Linlithgow.
Ceiling Boss C.1617 carving originally adorned the ceiling of the royal palace at Linlithgow.
Prop Sarcophagus (1959) used in the film 'The Mummy'.
Prop Sarcophagus (1959) used in the film ‘The Mummy’.
A taxidermy stag is displayed inside Perth Museum.
A taxidermy stag.
Trojan Unicorn called Destiny is mounted above the Stone of Destiny exhibition.
Trojan Unicorn called Destiny is mounted above the Stone of Destiny exhibition.
Detail from the iron works exhibition space inside Perth Museum.
Detail from the iron works exhibition space.
Detail from the retail exhibition space that includes information on McEwens. 
Detail from the retail exhibition space that includes information on McEwens.
The Unicorn exhibition inside Perth Museum.
The Unicorn exhibition.
Panel Bearing the Royal Arms of James V - c.1540-1550 carved oak - Franciscan Nunnery Chapel in the Overgate, Dundee. 
Panel Bearing the Royal Arms of James V – c.1540-1550 carved oak – Franciscan Nunnery Chapel in the Overgate, Dundee.
Queen Victoria's Coat of Arms Plaque presented to the Royal George Hotel by Queen Victoria following her stay in September 1848.
Queen Victoria’s Coat of Arms Plaque presented to the Royal George Hotel by Queen Victoria following her stay in September 1848.
The first floor balcony level provide a view down to the ground floor inside Perth Museum.
The first floor exhibitions.
The entrance brings visitors into a beautiful open space inside Perth Museum.
The entrance brings visitors into a beautiful open space.
Trojan Unicorn called Destiny.
Trojan Unicorn called Destiny.
POUPOU (side wall panel/pillar) Iwi affiliation: unknown After 1800 in wood.
POUPOU (side wall panel/pillar) Iwi affiliation: unknown After 1800 in wood.
The key to the city presented by Queen Victoria.
The key to the city presented by Queen Victoria.
First level with beautiful ceiling detail.
First level with beautiful ceiling detail.
Items that had previously been kept in the former museums basement level.
Items that had previously been kept in the former museums basement level.
Ground floor exhibition spaces inside Perth Museum.
Ground floor exhibition spaces.
The Heva Tupapa'u (mourning the corpse) or 'Ahu Heva (mourning clothes) worn by a high chief Tahiti.
The Heva Tupapa’u (mourning the corpse) or ‘Ahu Heva (mourning clothes) worn by a high chief Tahiti.
Ground floor showing Pictish stones.
Ground floor showing Pictish stones.
Queen Victoria's coat of arms.
Queen Victoria’s coat of arms.
Exploring the first floor. 
Exploring the first floor.
The ground floor exhibition.
The ground floor exhibition.
The St Madoes Stone (pictish stone).
The St Madoes Stone (pictish stone).
Perth Museum cafe.
The museum cafe.
The interior first floor gallery space.
The interior first floor gallery space.
A taxidermy swan inside Perth Museum.
Duck!! no sorry, that’s a swan – what wires?!
A wealth of interesting items on show. 
A wealth of interesting items on show.
A last minute clean and polish ahead of the big opening. 
A last minute clean and polish ahead of the big opening.
The first floor and ground floor.
A taxidermy Osprey.
A taxidermy Osprey.
The Stone of Destiny exhibition inside Perth Museum.
The Stone of Destiny space.

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