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Perth Museum proves a hit with 40,000 visitors in opening month

Visitor numbers for the new Perth Museum show how strongly the £27m attraction has performed in its first few weeks, say bosses.

three people dressed as characters from Scottish history outside Perth Museum
Opening weekend interest in Perth Museum has continued, say council chiefs. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

The new Perth Museum has already welcomed 40,000 people through its doors.

The figures emerged on Wednesday, 26 days after the attraction opened to the public.

More than 3,000 people visited the £27 million museum in the refurbished Perth City Hall on its first day.

And interest remained high throughout the school Easter holidays.

Perth Museum chiefs say the visitor numbers are “astonishing”.

And they hope local people and businesses are also beginning to enjoy the benefits.

Egyptian sarcophagus style exhibit in new Perth Museum
An exhibit in the new Perth Museum. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

Perth and Kinross Council’s head of culture and community services Fiona Robertson revealed the latest attendance levels on Wednesday.

She said: “I believe, as of this week, total visitors to Perth Museum are now around the 40,000 level.”

The museum – the new permanent home of the Stone of Destiny – has an annual visitor target of 140-160,000 by 2027.

Ms Robertson was speaking to the council’s scrutiny and performance committee.

Fiona Robertson inside the City Hall before its £27M transformation, with old rows of seating and stripped back fittings
Fiona Robertson inside the City Hall as it looked in 2019. Image: Kris Miller/DC Thomson.

Members were told Perth Museum has performed strongly since opening on March 30, attracting “significant international, UK and national media attention”, as well as tens of thousands of visitors.

Perth Museum visitor reviews match numbers

Early reports on Tripadvisor are also positive.

Reviewers have awarded the museum four stars. And it is quickly climbing the rankings of things to do in Perth.

One writes: “Visited with very low expectations, however was blown away by the museum… The stone of destiny is magically presented and sent a shiver down my spine.”

Perth Museum interior showing stone of destiny experience in centre
Perth Museum is the new home of the Stone of Destiny. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson
Display cases in new Perth Museum, containing stuffed birds and exotic costumes
The museum is home to treasures from around the world, as well as Perth and Kinross. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

Another said: “We visited to see the Stone of Destiny and really enjoyed the experience provided around that. But the museum itself has so much more to offer – and needs longer than the two hours we had planned for.”

Criticisms included LGBTQ themes in the Unicorn exhibition and being asked to remove coats before entering the Stone of Destiny display.

Large unicorn sculpture in Perth Museum
Perth Museum’s first major exhibition focuses on Scotland’s national animal – the unicorn. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

The museum is currently rated 44th out of 83 attractions in Perth on Tripadvisor.

However, all of the others have been around for much longer.

And the top two – the Black Watch Museum and Scone Palace – have amassed more than 3,000 reviews between them over the years.

Milestone welcomed

The £27m transformation of the former Perth City Hall was largely funded by Perth and Kinross Council.

It also received £10m from the UK Government via the Tay Cities Deal.

Council leader Grant Laing said: “The opening of Perth Museum has been a fantastic success, not just in terms of visitor numbers but also response from the public and businesses in Perth city centre.

Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing
Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing hailed the success of the museum. Image: Angus Findlay

“It is a tremendous attraction and a wonderful new home for the Stone of Destiny that has really captured the public imagination,” he added.

“We look forward to welcoming tens of thousands of visitors to Perth in the months and years to come.”

A Perth Museum spokesperson said: “We are absolutely thrilled by the public response.

“The visitor figures to date have been just astonishing and the feedback from both visitors and the press has been overwhelmingly positive.

“We hope local people and businesses share a sense of pride and ownership over the museum, and that they feel the benefits of the increased footfall and profile for the city.

“This is just the start of a journey, and we would like to thank everyone for their support and enthusiasm so far.”

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