First look at Perth Museum’s new flooding exhibition

Local residents' photos and memories of flooding are in the spotlight as the Waters Rising exhibition opens at Perth Museum

By Morag Lindsay

November 6 2024, 6:20pm

Waters Rising merges local stories of flooding and the bigger picture of climate change. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Local people’s experiences of flooding take centre stage in the new exhibition at Perth Museum.

Waters Rising, which opens on Friday, features original video footage of the so-called great flood of 1993.

More than 1,000 residents were forced out of their homes when the River Tay swelled to record levels on January 17 that year.

The episode caused £10 million in damage and led to the construction of the Perth flood defences.

Aerial photo showing huge area of Perth underwater — The aftermath of the floods in Perth in January 1993.

Personal snapshots, from that year and more recent floods in Perth and places like Alyth and Aberfeldy, are also on display.

It comes just over a year after residents in Perth were forced to flee their homes when the River Tay flooded again.

woman listening on headphones with wall of photos and postcards behind her — Emma Forbes against a backdrop of photos showing local flooding. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Questions are still being asked about the council’s failure to close the North Inch floodgates – part of the city’s £25m defences – in time.

Perth Museum visitors urged to share flooding stories

Museum chiefs put out an appeal for photos and memories earlier this year, and residents responded in their droves.

Locals also shared memories at oral history sessions.

Visitors will be invited to add their own thoughts and photos throughout the duration of the exhibition.

Postcard with woman's memories of her mother being rescued from 1993 flood in Perth — A postcard in Perth Museum featuring one woman’s memory of the flooding in 1993. Image: DC Thomson

Another film, this one shot by Helen McCrorie, features residents of Comrie, who were hit by flooding in 2012 and 2015.

The locals talk movingly about the personal and irreplaceable things they lost to the water.

It comes as work gets under way on new flood defences in the village.

Two women talking in front of display with Waters Rising written in big blue letters behind — Perth Museum hopes the new displays will contribute to the climate change conversation. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

The team behind Waters Rising say they hope these human stories will capture visitors’ imaginations as they grapple with the enormity of climate change

‘Climate change part of ordinary people’s lives’

Other parts of the exhibition confront the international and historic aspects of flooding.

Important works by renowned indigenous Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau have been loaned to Perth, along with banners and placards from recent climate protests.

Woman with mobile phone taking photo of colourful paintings — A visitor enjoys the Morriseau artworks. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Climate change banners and placards — Flooding was tied up in recent climate change protests. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Treasures from the Perth and Kinross collection include a flood-damaged Egyptian sarcophagus.

Elsewhere, a centuries-old copy of the Koran and an alligator’s skull bear the traces of flooding closer to home.

Both were rescued when the old museum, now Perth Art Gallery, found itself underwater in the past.

Person walking past sarcophagus in display case at Perth Museum — The Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus of Ta-Kr-Hb still bears the scars of flooding. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Niamh Finlay, project lead for Waters Rising, says the team behind the exhibition are particularly grateful to local people for sharing items for display.

“We were sent VHS tape of the 1993 flood, drone footage from the recent flooding in Aberfeldy and lots of amazing photographs,” she said.