Stewartry Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1879 |
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| Location | St Mary Street Kirkcudbright Scotland DG6 4AQ |
| Type | Local museum |
The Stewartry Museum is a cool local museum in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. It tells the story of the area called Galloway, showing how people lived and what happened there long ago. It's a great place to explore the past!
Contents
Museum History: How It Started
The museum first opened its doors in 1879. Back then, it was on the top floor of the Kirkcudbright Town Hall. It was a small start for a big collection!
Moving to a New Home
But the museum quickly grew! So, in 1893, it moved to a new building. A famous architect named Robert Wallace designed this new home. It was built to hold all the growing collections.
Who Runs the Museum?
For many years, a group called the Stewartry Museum Association took care of the museum. But in 1990, the local government, the Stewartry District Council, took over. Later, in 1996, the way councils were set up in Scotland changed. The museum's management then passed to the Dumfries and Galloway Council. They still look after it today!
Exploring the Museum's Collections
The museum has amazing collections that tell the story of the Stewartry area. This area is also known as Kirkcudbrightshire. You can learn about both people and nature here.
Art and Ancient Finds
The museum, along with Kirkcudbright Galleries, holds two special collections. These are important art and archaeology collections. They are recognized all over the country!
Sports and Old Tools
One of the oldest sports trophies in the United Kingdom is here. It's called the Siller Cup. You can also see old tools and items from daily life. These show how people farmed and crafted things long ago.
Amazing Archaeology
The museum has many ancient objects. Some are from the Mesolithic and Neolithic times. These are very old periods in history! You can see sharp arrowheads and axe heads. There are even Viking weapons from later periods. The museum also gets cool finds from a program called Treasure Trove.
Local Stories and Records
The Stewartry Museum has a large archive of local history. This includes old records about families and the town. You can even find old town records that mention some interesting stories.
Nature and Everyday Items
Many visitors love the old everyday items, called "bygones." There are also lots of natural history displays. These show animals and plants from local rivers, lakes, and the sea.
Special Items to See
The museum often puts new and exciting things on display. Here are a few special items you might find.
The Little Ross Lighthouse Lens
In 2015, the museum showed a huge lens from the Little Ross lighthouse for the first time. This lens was made in Paris, France, in 1896. It helped the lighthouse shine brightly until 1960. The Northern Lighthouse Board gave it to the museum in 2004.
Ancient Rock Art
The museum also has copies of ancient rock carvings. These are from a place called High Banks Farm. They show "cup and ring marks," which are mysterious shapes carved into rocks. You can also see actual slabs with these marks from Blackmyre and Laggan.
