Museum of the University of St Andrews facts for kids
The museum in November 2024
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| Location | St. Andrews, Scotland |
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The Wardlaw Museum is a cool place linked to the University of St Andrews in Scotland. It shows off many amazing things from the university's past. These include old objects, beautiful art, and scientific tools. There are over 115,000 items in total!
The museum has four main areas, called galleries. Each gallery helps tell the story of the university. The museum was recently updated. It now has more space for special exhibits. There's also a new study area and a bigger gift shop. You can even find a "Learning Loft" for workshops and a viewing deck. This deck offers awesome views over St Andrews Bay.
Contents
Exploring the University's Story
The four main galleries at the Wardlaw Museum share the history of the University of St Andrews. This university started way back in 1410. Each gallery has a different theme.
Scotland's First University
This part of the museum looks at how the university began. It shows what things were like in its very early days.
Student Life: Living and Learning
This gallery explores what it was like to be a student at St Andrews. You can learn about how students ate and what clubs they joined. It also features the famous red gown that students wear.
Big Ideas: Seeing and Believing
This section highlights important ideas that came from students and teachers. It covers science, religion, and art. You can learn about famous people like the astronomer James Gregory (mathematician). There's also mathematician John Napier and religious thinker Samuel Rutherford.
Changing Exhibitions: New Discoveries
The fourth gallery is for special, temporary shows. These displays change regularly. In the past, they have shown the history of medicine at the university. They also featured art from World War II. Some art was from the university's own collection. Other pieces were borrowed from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Amazing Collections and Treasures
The university has three special collections. These are so important that they are called "Recognised Collections of National Significance." This means they are very important for Scotland and even the world.
- The Heritage Collection
- The Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments
- The Chemistry Collection
You can see some of the best items from these collections at the Wardlaw Museum.
Ancient Maces: Symbols of Power
The museum's most special items are three medieval ceremonial maces. These are like fancy staffs used in ceremonies. They are from the 1400s.
- The oldest mace is from 1416. It was probably made in Paris, France. It has a simple top with pictures of saints and family symbols.
- Another mace was made in Paris in 1461. Many people think its top is one of the most beautiful medieval silver pieces ever made. It shows Christ in a special shrine.
- The third mace was likely made in Scotland in the mid-1400s. It looks like a copy of the oldest mace. It's very rare because it was made in Scotland.
These maces are still used today in graduation ceremonies!
Other Cool Objects to See
The museum has many other interesting things.
- The Great Astrolabe was made in 1575. It's a tool used to study stars. It might be the biggest old astrolabe in the world!
- There are 70 medals from a competition called the Silver Arrow. Students won these between 1612 and 1754. Many of these students later became important in Scottish politics.
- You can see a black stone where students sat for their oral exams hundreds of years ago.
- There's a special stained glass window for Thomas Chalmers. He was a leader in a big event for the Church of Scotland.
- Look for an early Reflecting Telescope made in 1734 by James Short.
- Don't miss a special drinking cup called a mazer. It's the oldest silver item from Edinburgh with a full set of official marks.
The museum sometimes shows a very old document called a Papal bull. This was sent by Pope Benedict XIII in 1413 to start the university. It's very old and delicate, so usually a copy is on display.
Fun Events and Learning for Kids
The museum offers many activities throughout the year. These include talks, workshops, and tours. They cover different topics related to the museum's collections. The museum hosts about 200 events each year. It also has a great program just for schools.
Young Artist Award
A big part of the school program is the MUSA Young Artist Award. This art competition has been held every year since 2007. Schools in Fife can join workshops to help students improve their art skills. Then, students can submit their artwork. In 2016, over a thousand entries were received! Nearly 1400 students took part in the workshops. Prizes are given in six groups. The winning artworks are shown in an exhibition in St Andrews.
Youth Curator Program
Teenagers can also join the Youth Curator program. This lets them go behind the scenes at the museum. They get to learn about how museums work. They even get to help put on an exhibition at the museum!
Famous Visitors to the Museum
Many well-known people have visited the Wardlaw Museum.
- In 2011, Prince William and his then-fiancée Catherine Middleton visited. This was part of the university's 600th anniversary. They looked at the papal bull and had a special tour. Both Prince William and Catherine studied at the university.
- The museum officially opened in 2008. Crime writer Ian Rankin was there. He saw some rare life masks of two historical figures from Edinburgh.
- The museum has been on the BBC2 TV show "Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip." News reader Alastair Stewart visited during the show.
- Actress Elaine C. Smith has also visited for a documentary.
- The museum has an audio guide. It is narrated by actress Joanna Lumley. She has not visited the museum in person, though.
Other University Museums
The Wardlaw Museum is part of the University of St Andrews' Museum Collections Unit. This unit also looks after three other public places at the university. They often share exhibitions and events with the Wardlaw Museum.
Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History
This is the university's oldest museum. It has a collection of natural history and animal specimens. Many of these are from the Victorian period. The items are shown in their original display cases. This keeps the old-fashioned feel of the museum.
MUSA Collections Centre
This center is one of the university's museum storage areas. It's in the middle of St Andrews. You can take tours to see items that are not on display. It's a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes! Researchers can also arrange visits to this center.
Images for kids
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The museum in November 2024
