Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1928 |
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| Location | Dunfermline |
| Type | Biographical Museum |
| Founder | Louise Whitfield Carnegie |
The Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum is a special museum in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. It tells the story of Andrew Carnegie. He was a famous Scottish-American businessman and a very generous person. Many people call him "one of the great Scots of the 1800s."
A group called the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust runs the museum. It's in an old building that's protected because it's important. The museum includes the small house where Andrew Carnegie was born in the 1700s. There's also a special hall added in 1928.
Andrew Carnegie's wife, Louise Whitfield Carnegie, bought the cottage in 1895. She used money she inherited from her grandfather. In 1903, the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust was created. This trust then took care of the cottage. It first opened its doors to visitors in 1908.
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Andrew Carnegie's Early Life
Andrew Carnegie was born in this small cottage in 1835. His father, William Carnegie, was a weaver. He made cloth using a hand loom. But around 1840, big factories started using large machines. These machines replaced hand looms.
Weavers were then expected to work in these factories. The Carnegie family believed in freedom and helping others. They also loved learning on their own. Because of these strong beliefs, William found it hard to get work in the factories. So, in 1848, when Andrew was 13, his family left the cottage. They moved to Allegheny, Pennsylvania, in the United States, to start a new life.
In October 2019, the museum won a special award. It was the first Scottish museum to win the Family Friendly Museum Award. The museum was chosen from over 800 nominations. It was one of fifteen museums on a shortlist. First, it won the award for small museums. Then, it became the overall winner of the 2019 award.
About the Museum Buildings
The museum is made up of several parts. These include the buildings at 2 and 4 Moodie Street and 5 Priory Lane. Andrew Carnegie was born at 2 Moodie Street. Because his wife bought it in 1895, this cottage still looks much like it did back then.
The outside of 4 Moodie Street also hasn't changed much. But inside, it was made into the museum's entrance. A Scottish architect named James Shearer added a memorial building. He built it between 1925 and 1928. A short passage connects this new building to the old cottages.
The memorial building looks like old Scottish castles. It has special stepped roofs called crowstepped gables. The main hall has windows high up to let in light. This newer building is also protected because of its interesting style. Even the walls around the museum are special. They have fancy designs with scrolls and thistles. The original cottages were built in the 1770s. Work on the memorial building started in 1925. It officially opened on June 28, 1928.
What You Can See in the Museum
Most of the museum's first collection came from Andrew Carnegie's family. His wife, Louise Whitfield Carnegie, donated them in 1928. These items came from their homes in the US and Scotland. They included art, photos, and old documents.
Some items were too special to give away when the museum first opened. These were given to the museum after Louise Whitfield Carnegie passed away. The museum shows many different kinds of exhibits. They cover nature, art, and science. Some important things to see are portraits of the Carnegie family. You can also see drawings of the Carnegie Institute in Pennsylvania.
The museum's displays were updated in 2008. They now show details of Carnegie's big achievements in business in the United States. You can also see some puppets from Sesame Street. This TV show started with money from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
See Also
