Latest news with #HelenSmout
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
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.
The Courier
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Perth Museum shortlisted for £120k Art Fund prize
Perth is in the running for the world's biggest museum prize. The £27 million home of the Stone of Destiny is one of five finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. There's a £120,000 prize on offer for the winner and £15,000 for each of the runners-up. And Perth Museum is the only Scottish contender on the shortlist. Culture chiefs say the recognition belongs to the people of Perth and Kinross. It's the latest in a string of accolades to come the museum's way since it opened in the former Perth City Hall last March. And it comes a week after Culture Perth and Kinross confirmed visitor numbers have now topped 258,000. The organisation, which runs the 5-star attraction on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council, says there were more than 2 million additional visits to the city centre since the arrival of the museum. Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout said: '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.' She added: '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.' Art Fund is the national charity for museums and galleries. Judges consider overall achievements, impactful projects and the input of museum staff and volunteers. Perth Museum is up against Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham; Chapter in Cardiff; Compton Verney in Warwickshire and the Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast. The shortlist announcement coincides with the launch of the latest paid-for exhibition at Perth Museum. Macbeth: An Exhibition considers Shakespeare's ill-starred hero, the real-life Macbeth, and their impact on Scotland and Perthshire in particular. The winning museum will be announced on June 26 in a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool. Between now and then, Art Pass holders can enjoy free entry to the Macbeth exhibition. Jenny Waldman, Art Fund director, said: '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.'
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Two million more visits to Perth High Street from April to December 2024
Perth's High Street benefited from an additional two million visits over the first nine months of Perth Museum opening. Since Perth Museum opened its doors on March 31, 2024, it has welcomed around 260,000 visitors. And the museum is reported to not only have drawn thousands of visitors to the Fair City but helped improve people's perception of Perth. At a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council's Scrutiny and Performance Committee on Wednesday, April 23, Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout provided an update on the impact of the opening of the £27 million museum in the centre of Perth. Ms Smout told councillors: "Visitor satisfaction has been wonderful. We've had more than two million additional High Street visits between the time the museum opened and the end of December. "We'll not be the only people that have driven that but it is certainly part of it. "We're seeing an increased interest in accommodation and booking for wider Perthshire and 67 per cent of the visitors we have surveyed have said they have an improved perception of Perth as a place to visit and to work or live. That was very much one of our key targets for the museum to help change people's idea of Perth as a place to visit. "We hear the words all the time, 'Oh gosh I'd forgotten Perth was here' or 'I'm rediscovering it' or 'It's wonderful, I haven't been here for years'. "So it's bringing people back to the city and it's bringing new people to the city." But the majority of visitors to Perth Museum are not bothering to book a free time slot to see its main attraction. The latest figures shared with councillors last Wednesday reported there had been 87,112 visits to the Stone of Destiny - 34 per cent of visitors. The Culture Perth and Kinross chief said: "At the heart of the museum is the Stone of Destiny. However, only around a third visit the stone. Two thirds are coming to see the rest of the museum and the story of Perth and the temporary exhibitions. "We had our first annual condition check of the stone - that's part of the loan agreement - and I'm pleased to say it was in excellent condition. We haven't spoilt it! It's doing really well. "And visitors continue to find the opportunity to access time with the stone - even if they are not from the UK or weren't aware of the object before they arrived - as something that is very moving. They recognise its significance and its continued significance and the fact that they have something they can access free, they're really appreciative of, which is always good news." Since opening, the museum has scooped up a host of awards including Cultural Building of the Year at the Archello Awards and Best Civic Brand Identity at the Scottish Design Awards. Ms Smout grinned: "It really is an award-winning museum in the middle of Perth and it's something that everyone should be really proud of. "It feels like a bit of a moment for Perth that it's going to make a lasting change."
