Perth Museum in the running for prestigious prize
City centre visitor attraction is on shortlist for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025.
Perth's landmark museum - home of the Stone of Destiny – is once again in the running one of the most prestigious cultural prizes.
It is one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, which is the world's largest museum prize.
The popular visitor attraction, which opened at the end of March 2024, welcomed over 250,000 visitors in its first year - smashing its visitor target of 167,000 by 50 per cent.
Since opening the £27m museum has received a clutch of awards and has been nominated for three Museum + Heritage Awards.
Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout said: 'We are thrilled to be in the running as Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, and honoured to be the only Scottish museum on the shortlist.
'This nomination belongs to the people of Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and all our staff, volunteers, supporters, and contributors who have helped make Perth Museum a very special place since we opened just over a year ago.
'We are changing perspectives on what a small, regional museum can achieve.
'Regardless of who takes home the grand prize, we already feel like winners.'
Perthshire North MSP and First Minister John Swinney said: 'This is a fantastic achievement that speaks to the quality of Perth Museum, and the significant impact it has had on the local area.
'I extend my sincere congratulations to all those involved in making Perth Museum such a memorable and engaging place to visit.
'Being shortlisted for such a prestigious prize is a testament to their hard work and ingenuity.'
Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, shortlists annually five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year.
The 2025 prize recognises inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2023 through to winter 2024.
In addition to looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, the judges are tasked with identifying impactful projects that spotlight the wide range of remarkable people, including museum staff and volunteers, who bring museums to life by engaging with communities, families and younger visitors, artists and creatives.
Perth Museum tells the story of over 10,000 years of Scottish and world history through a local lens.
Alongside the Stone of Destiny, the Museum displays Perth and Kinross's Recognised Collections of National Significance as well as iconic loans and exhibitions.
The winner of the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, announced on June 26, will receive £120,000 and £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists.
The prize is funded by the generosity of Art Fund's members who buy a National Art Pass. During the shortlist celebration period (29 April to 26 June), Art Pass holders can enjoy free entry to the new Macbeth exhibition at Perth Museum, and 50% off all paid exhibitions at Perth Museum and Perth Art Gallery year-round.
Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, speaking on behalf of the judges said: 'Congratulations to Perth Museum on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025.
'This year's finalists are inspiring examples of museums at their best – deeply connected to their local communities, responsive to the world around them, and alive with energy and ideas.
'Each one offers a distinctive experience, showing the endless creativity and care that goes into making museums inspiring and exciting spaces for everyone. Art Fund is proud to celebrate their work and support their ambition through Art Fund Museum of the Year. We hope people across the UK will be inspired to visit these remarkable places and museums in their local area to discover the powerful role they can play in our lives.'
The Museum + Heritage awards ceremony will take place in London on May 15.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
37 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh star Chloe Pirrie's life away from Dept.Q from romances to Hollywood ties
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Chloe Pirrie, the Scottish actress recognised for her roles in The Queen's Gambit and The Crown, is relishing working back in Edinburgh where she's been filming for the past six months for Netflix's new detective series, Dept. Q. Playing the character of solicitor Merritt Lingard and working along a stellar cast with Matthew Goode at the helm, she joins fellow Scots Jamie Sives, Mark Bonnar and Shirley Henderson. This homecoming project, led by Scott Frank who previously worked with Pirrie on The Queen's Gambit, has brought her not only to familiar grounds but also allowed for a reunion with Kelly Macdonald, with whom she starred in The Victim. Reflecting on being back in her hometown, Pirrie shared how meaningful it was saying: "I've got family there that I hadn't seen for a while so it was great to be able to spend time with them. A family member came to set - I've never had that before. That kind of stuff is really special." (Image: PA) Her journey into acting took off from her school days at Mary Erskine School, where after playing Anja in 'The Cherry Orchard', she began considering acting as a serious career path, reports the Express. Her acting journey began with a role in the Royal National Theatre's 2010 production of Men Should Weep, followed by appearances in the short film Solstice and the television soap Doctors. Her breakthrough came in 2012 with the Scottish film Shell, which earned her the Most Promising Newcomer award at the 2013 British Independent Film Awards. In 2013, she also appeared in an episode of Black Mirror titled The Waldo Moment, playing a politician. Her career took a significant turn in 2014 when she appeared in the BBC spy thriller 'The Game' as an MI5 secretary, acting alongside Brian Cox. (Image: Andy Buchanan/BAFTA/Shutterstock) The following year saw her take on roles in the television film 'An Inspector Calls' with David Thewliss, the Sky Atlantic crime series 'The Last Panthers' with Samantha Morton and John Hurt, the Oscar-nominated comedy-drama 'Youth', and the black comedy film 'Burn, Burn, Burn'. She also featured in the BBC's lavish adaptation of 'War and Peace' in 2016. In the same year, she graced the small screen in The Living and the Dead, Brief Encounters, and the television film To Walk Invisible, where she took on the role of Emily Brontë. Following her portrayal of Brontë, Pirrie then appeared as Eileen Parker in The Crown. When it comes to Chloe's love life the actress prefers to keep it away from the lime light as not much is known about her dating history. It's unknown if the star is currently in a relationship or if she has any children. All nine instalments of Dept. Q are now ready for streaming on Netflix
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Small Scottish distillery wins international award for wood-fired drink
A small Lowlands distillery has won gold for its wood-fired unaged spirit, scoring 96 points for its depth, clarity and character. A small Scottish distillery tucked away in the Lowlands has struck gold on the international stage, quite literally. Moffat Distillery, based in Dumfries and Galloway, is celebrating a major milestone after its Moffat Moonshine scooped a prestigious gold medal at the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). The award comes just as the distillery prepares for its highly anticipated first whisky release. The unaged spirit, described by the distillery as a 'wood-fired, unaged spirit made entirely in Dumfries & Galloway ', earned an impressive 96 points, with judges praising its 'depth, clarity and character.' That's a remarkable result for what is essentially the debut offering from the fledgling distillery. 'This is a huge moment for our small team,' said founder Nick Bullard. 'Moffat Moonshine is where our journey begins, raw, honest and full of character. "We're proud it's been recognised on a global stage and we hope it puts our small but perfectly-formed corner of Scotland on the spirits map.' Moffat Distillery is no ordinary producer. It claims to be the first and only distillery in Scotland to heat its stills using wood fires, a method not seen in over 200 years. With an output of just 6,000 litres per year, the distillery prides itself on sustainable, small-scale production. Sharing their excitement in a social media post, the team wrote: 'We've just won a Gold medal! Our Moffat Moonshine has been recognised by the IWSC, a huge honour for our wee distillery. 'This is a win not just for us, but for everyone who's supported us along the way, from those who've shared a dram, to our brilliant partners at Crisp Malt, WHC Lab, and Camlachie Cooperage.' The award-winning Moffat Moonshine has been bottled at two strengths, 48.5% and a fiery cask strength of 61.25% ABV. Distilled in the open air, the team say each run carries its own unique character, with the spirit matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks for just seven months. 'Not wanting to drown our own spirit's character in sherry, we decided to bottle the fiery potion when we felt it was ready,' the distillery says on its website. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. While Moffat Moonshine has stolen the spotlight for now, the distillery is also no stranger to blended malts. In 2018, it released The Moffat Blended Malt Scotch, and more blends from its Local Dram series are on the way. These unique creations are developed in close collaboration with local people, drawing on regional culture, history, geography and language to produce a dram that truly reflects the character of its community. 'We create unique recipes,' the distillery explains. 'We source our spirit directly from producers, avoiding the secondary market, since consistency and authenticity of supply are vital to the brand.' All bottling is currently done under contract, and each blend is dressed in bespoke packaging designed by a local artist, echoing the spirit of the community behind it.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside Netflix Dept. Q star Chloe Pirrie life from Hollywood link to romance
Chloe Pirrie is currently starring in Netflix's Dept. Q, the thriller series that has been adapted from the work of Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen Chloe Pirrie has a series of successful TV productions under her belt, which has seen her travel the world including filming in Canada beside renowned actors Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Yet, her most recent acting venture has taken her back to familiar territory as she has spent the past six months shooting in her hometown of Edinburgh. The Scottish star is currently featuring in the upcoming Netflix detective series Dept. Q, taking on the role of accomplished solicitor Merritt Lingard. Joining a cast headlined by Matthew Goode, Chloe shines among a host of Scottish talent including Jamie Sives, Mark Bonnar, Shirley Henderson, and more. Created by Scott Frank, who penned and directed the series, the Netflix show brings together Pirrie with both The Queen's Gambit creator and Kelly Macdonald, whom she appeared alongside in The Victim, reports the Express. Reflecting on her return to the place of her childhood, Pirrie, celebrated for her roles in hit shows like The Queen's Gambit and The Crown, shared: "I've got family there that I hadn't seen for a while so it was great to be able to spend time with them. A family member came to set - I've never had that before. That kind of stuff is really special." Before finding fame, Chloe started out in the acting world during her time at Mary Erskine School, where her role as Anja in 'The Cherry Orchard' sparked her interest in pursuing acting as a career path. Her acting journey kicked off with a role in the Royal National Theatre's 2010 production of Men Should Weep, followed by roles in the short film Solstice and the television soap Doctors. But the stars big break arrived in 2012 with the Scottish film Shell, which bagged her the Most Promising Newcomer award at the 2013 British Independent Film Awards. In 2013, she also featured in an episode of Black Mirror titled The Waldo Moment, portraying a politician. Her career trajectory took a significant leap in 2014 when she starred in the BBC spy thriller 'The Game' as an MI5 secretary, sharing screen space with Brian Cox. The subsequent year saw her juggling roles in the television film 'An Inspector Calls' alongside David Thewliss, the Sky Atlantic crime series 'The Last Panthers' with Samantha Morton and John Hurt, the Oscar-nominated comedy-drama 'Youth', and the black comedy film 'Burn, Burn, Burn'. She also appeared in the BBC's grand adaptation of 'War and Peace' in 2016. That same year, she made appearances in The Living and the Dead, Brief Encounters, and the television film To Walk Invisible, where she embodied the character of Emily Brontë. Following her portrayal of Brontë, Pirrie then featured as Eileen Parker in The Crown. As for Chloe's personal life, the actress prefers to keep it under wraps, with little known about her romantic history. It remains unclear whether the star is currently in a relationship or if she has any children. All nine episodes of Dept. Q are now ready for streaming on Netflix.
