King's Museum facts for kids
The Old Town House
|
|
| Established | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Location | Aberdeen, Scotland |
The King's Museum was a small museum run by the University of Aberdeen. It was located in a historic building called the Old Town House in Old Aberdeen, Scotland. This museum was a place where the public could see special items from the university's large collections.
Contents
About the Museum
The University of Aberdeen has one of the biggest and most important museum collections in Scotland. These collections are so special that they are called a "Recognised Collection of National Significance." This means they are very important for the whole country.
How the Museum Started
The university's collections first began way back in 1727 at King's College. Later, these items were moved to the Marischal College building.
In July 2008, the Marischal Museum closed. After that, a new public museum, the King's Museum, opened in April 2011. It was first located at No. 17 High Street. The actual collections stayed at Marischal College, but the museum showed different items from them. In 2013, the King's Museum moved to the Old Town House on the High Street.
What the Museum Showed
The King's Museum often changed its exhibits. It would display different items from the main collection at Marischal College. This meant visitors could see new and exciting things each time they visited.
When the Museum Closed
The King's Museum closed its doors in March 2020. This happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure helped support public health efforts in Aberdeen. As of August 2025, there are no plans to reopen the museum to the public. However, the main collection at Marischal College is still used for teaching and research. Students and visiting researchers use it, but it is not open for general visits.
Learning for Schools
The King's Museum had a special service for primary school classes. Schools from the Aberdeen City council area and Aberdeenshire could visit. The museum offered workshops on many different topics. All these workshops were designed to fit with Scotland's "Curriculum for Excellence." This curriculum helps guide what students learn in school.
Fun Events
The museum also hosted evening lectures during the university term. These talks happened on Tuesdays. The King's Museum also took part in bigger national and international events. One example was the "Night at the Museums" event. This was part of the ICOM's "European Night of Museums." It was also part of Museums Galleries Scotland's "Festival of Museums." These events allowed people to experience museums in a fun, new way.
