Museums Galleries Scotland
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In Scotland, we’re lucky to have cities filled with wonderful venues offering ways to explore art, culture and history. But if you already know your local museums and galleries like the back of your hand, you should set your sights on some new horizons. Plus Summer is finally here, so you’re probably itching to escape town. Time, therefore, for a day trip! One that blends imagination and creativity and takes you to some of the wonderful museums and galleries in rural areas across Scotland. The good news is that as well as being fun and affordable, lots of these museums are easily accessible by public transport from our biggest cities, making a visit there environmentally friendly too.
David Livingstone Birthplace, Blantyre
A 20-minute train ride will take you from Glasgow Central to Blantyre Station, and from there, it’s just a short stroll to the birthplace of one of Scotland’s most famous sons: David Livingstone.
The enduring image of this legendary Victorian-era explorer and missionary is a rather romantic one of him as a lone pioneer taking epic journeys across Sub-Saharan Africa, but this doesn’t tell the full story. The brilliant David Livingstone Birthplace museum, situated in the former textile mill building in which Livingstone was born and raised, tells his story from myriad perspectives, from his humble beginnings as a child millworker to becoming a world-famous adventurer. It’s an expansive and thoughtful exhibition that puts Livingstone’s life and work in a fuller and more comprehensive context, exploring the collaborative aspect of his missions, his role as an abolitionist and re-examining the darker side of his work within the complex and painful realities of slavery and colonialism.
Situated within 11 acres of beautiful parkland, there’s also plenty to explore beyond the exhibition – there’s nature trails, the Livingstone and the Lion sculpture designed by the great Ray Harryhausen, and a fun playpark inspired by Livingstone’s journeys down African rivers. The museum has a bustling summer schedule including arts, crafts and an archaeology school for budding adventurers. Full events calendar at david-livingstone-birthplace.org/events
Other great options from Glasgow by train include The Wyllieum, a new art gallery in the heart of Greenock, and the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine.
National Mining Museum Scotland, Newtongrange
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, so it’s the perfect time to learn more about the rich history and heritage of Scotland’s coal mining industry. You’ll find no better introduction than at the National Mining Museum Scotland, which coincidentally also turns 40 this year. Located in the site of the Lady Victoria Colliery in the village of Newtongrange, which is 20 minutes by train from Edinburgh Waverly, the museum paints a vivid, moving picture of what life was like for miners who worked this huge Victorian mine as well as their families and the wider community.
A highlight of the museum is the preserved pithead, which has remained as it was when the pit closed in 1981, and a recreated underground roadway and coalface. There are plenty of interactive elements that will keep youngsters excited on the tour, from getting to dress up in miner gear to crawling through a replica tunnel. You can explore the two floors of exhibitions at your leisure, but for some first-hand history of life at the coalface, you can take one of the museum’s hourly guided tours led by an ex-miner. Throughout the summer you’ll find storytelling and craft events, talks and a Community Family Fun Day on 10 August. Full calendar of events at nationalminingmuseum.com/experience/whats-on
Other great options from Edinburgh by train include the Roman fort site at Trimontium Museum in Melrose, the bustling Kirkcaldy Galleries, and the Coastal Communities Museum in North Berwick, which can also double as a day at the seaside.
Hospitalfield, Arbroath
Fancy a day of art and culture in a beautiful location just an hour’s bus ride from Dundee? Then plan a trip to the historic arts and crafts house Hospitalfield in Arbroath. The stunning arts centre and artist campus, which is housed on the site of a 13th-century hospital, has been part of the fabric of Scotland’s art scene for well over a century. The owners of the estate, Patrick Allan and Elizabeth Fraser, were keen supporters of the arts, and they left behind an impressive collection of artworks that continues to grow, reflecting Hospitalfield’s ongoing commitment to supporting contemporary visual artists.
Regular exhibitions and artist residencies ensure that there is always something new and exciting to see here. The actual building of Hospitalfield House, meanwhile, is an artwork in itself, a beautifully preserved celebration of the craftsmanship of the arts and crafts movement. There are also gorgeous gardens across the estate, and the Hospitalfield cafe, which uses ingredients fresh from the gardens, serves possibly the tastiest food from any museum in Scotland. As well as exhibitions, you’ll find music events, tours, and on 17 August, a Summer Festival. Full calendar of events at hospitalfield.org.uk/programme/events
Other great options by bus from Dundee include the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther and the Alyth Museum, Perthshire, which is home of the Cateran Ecomuseum.
Find all the museums and galleries near you by using this QR code to access the interactive #MuseumsAreGo map!
