Perth Museum's £27M Transformation: Unleashing Unicorn Marvels and Global Treasures
February 2024
Perth Museum, housed within a historic Edwardian building will finally open its doors on Saturday, March 30th after a £27 million redevelopment. Showcasing Perth and Kinross’ Recognised Collections of National Significance alongside loans and exhibitions from the UK and abroad, the museum's centrepiece will be the Stone of Destiny, returning to Perthshire for the first time in over 700 years.
The debut exhibition, ‘Unicorn’, marks the first major UK exploration into the cultural history of Scotland's national animal from antiquity to present times. Through art, science, social movements, and popular culture, the exhibition delves into the rich significance of this mythical creature. Divided into four themed galleries, visitors will uncover the unicorn's enduring presence throughout history and its evolving role as a symbol of Scotland's heritage and identity. The exhibition will feature iconic loans from around the world, interactive displays, and seven newly commissioned artworks focusing on the unicorn's modern significance within the LGBTQI+ community.
Among the star loans is the enchanting ‘Danny Jewel’, an English Elizabethan pendant jewel crafted from narwhal horn and enamelled gold, usually housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Displayed for the first time in the UK, Luca Longhi's late-Renaissance masterpiece, Lady and the Unicorn, on loan from the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo, highlights the enduring symbolism of the unicorn during the Middle Ages.
The exhibition also features a regal silver unicorn atop a 19th-century ceremonial rod, part of the regalia of the Usher of the White Rod. This rod, dating back to the time of King George IV’s coronation, symbolises the legitimate authority of rulers and reflects traditions dating back to the inauguration of Gaelic kings.
Complementing these prestigious loans are objects and stories of personal significance from the local community, showcasing the enduring power of the unicorn in contemporary culture through ornaments, images, memorabilia, and toys.
Full details of Unicorn and Perth Museum can be found on the museum's website here.
Photograph: Perth Museum / Credit: ©Greg Holmes
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