Paisley Museum and Art Galleries facts for kids
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| Established | 1871 |
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| Location | High Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA1 2BA |
The Paisley Museum and Art Galleries is a cool place in the town of Paisley, Scotland. It's currently getting a big makeover and plans to open again in 2024. This museum is run by Renfrewshire Council and has one of the biggest art collections owned by a town in Scotland. It even has over 800 paintings!
Contents
History of the Museum
The museum and art galleries were a gift to Paisley in 1871. A kind businessman named Sir Peter Coats donated them. The building was designed by an architect from Glasgow, John Honeyman. It also holds the Paisley Library and the Coats Observatory.
The first person in charge of the museum was an expert on insects, Morris Young. He worked there until he passed away in 1897. He even left money to the museum to help take care of the insect collections and his books. The museum has grown bigger with new parts added over the years. There are exciting plans to make it an "international-class destination" that shows off Paisley's amazing history.
What You Can See There
The museum has many different collections for you to explore.
Art Collection
The art collection mainly focuses on Scottish artists from the late 1800s and early 1900s. You can see works from famous groups like the Glasgow School and the Scottish Colourists. There's also a modern art collection. It includes art by people like Steven Campbell and John Byrne, who was born right in Paisley!
Local History and Textiles
This part of the museum tells the story of Paisley and the area around it, Renfrewshire. It especially highlights the important textiles industry. You can learn all about the fancy shawl industry that grew in Paisley. The museum even shows how weaving was done. You can see a traditional hand loom in action!
Archaeology and Natural History
The museum also has an archaeology collection. This means it has ancient objects, including some from Ancient Egypt and Babylon. Plus, there's a huge natural history collection. This section helps record all the different plants and animals found in the local area.
The Arbuthnott Missal
One of the most special items at the museum is the Arbuthnott Missal. Another member of the Coats family, Archibald, gave it to the museum. This missal is a very old and rare liturgical book (a book used for church services) from Scotland. It's the only one of its kind left from before the Reformation. In 2007, it won a top award from the British Library for being a "Hidden Treasure Brought to Life."
The museum is currently closed to visitors while it is being updated.
See also
- Museums in Scotland
