Tain & District Museum facts for kids

Tain & District Museum

Established	1966 (1966)
Location	Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland

The Tain & District Museum is a fascinating place located in Tain, a town in Ross-shire, Scotland. It is run by amazing volunteers and is open from April to October each year. The museum is part of a bigger visitor center called Tain Through Time. It first opened its doors in 1966 and has a special collection of beautiful silver items made right there in Tain.

History of the Museum

How the Museum Started

The idea for the museum began in 1966. A person named Rosemary Mackenzie was asked to put together an exhibition. This exhibition was to celebrate 900 years since Tain received its royal charter. A royal charter is like a special document that gives a town certain rights.

After this successful exhibition, the museum was officially started. Rosemary Mackenzie became its first curator. A curator is someone who looks after a museum's collections.

Growing the Collection

Rosemary Mackenzie was very interested in Tain's history. For many years, she collected items that were important to the local area. This was especially helpful after 1975. At that time, local government was reorganized. This meant many valuable historical items might have been moved away from Tain. Thanks to her efforts, these items stayed in Tain.

The museum's growing collection was kept in a small building. This building used to be the caretaker's cottage. It was next to the Old Collegiate Church and was built in the 1880s.

Special Documents and Volunteers

The museum is also home to a very old and important document. It is a papal bull from Pope Innocent VIII. This document is dated July 17, 1492. A papal bull is a special letter or order from the Pope.

Today, the museum continues to be run by local volunteers. They are the heart of the museum. They help visitors and share the stories of Tain.

Tain Silver Collection

Discovering Local Silverwork

From 2007 to 2013, the museum worked hard to expand its collection of silver. This silver was made in Tain during the 18th and 19th centuries. They even received some help from a group called the Art Fund.

Snuff Box by Hugh Ross, a Tain Silversmith, from the mid-18th century

Exhibiting Tain's Craftsmanship

In 1997, Tain silver was the focus of the museum's very first exhibition. This show included silver pieces from the museum's own collection. It also featured items borrowed from individuals and other organizations. One very special piece even came from the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. This particular example of Tain silver was also shown at a big event. It was displayed at the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow in 1938.

Other Interesting Exhibits

The Tain & District Museum likes to keep things fresh! They often change many of their displays each season. This means there's always something new to see.

For example, some past exhibits have included:

• Stories of local people from Tain. They served in Highland regiments during the 18th and 19th centuries.
• The history of transport in the 19th and 20th centuries. This included railways, ships, roads, and even bicycles.
• The history of tobacco, snuff, and whisky from the 17th to 20th centuries.
• What life was like in Croft houses. These were traditional homes in the Scottish Highlands.
• The history of Tain Royal Academy and education in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• New technology that came into homes in the mid-20th century.

Clan Ross Centre

The Tain & District Museum also serves as the official Clan Ross Centre. If you have the last name Ross, or are interested in your family history, this is the place to visit! The center helps people research their clan roots.

It shares the long history of the Clan Ross. It also connects this history to what the clan is doing today. You can find books, DVDs, and other special items about the clan here.

Ancient History of the Area

Long ago, during Pictish times (around 50 BC to 900 AD), many people lived in East Ross. The Picts were an ancient people who lived in Scotland. They created many carved stones. Some of these stones are still standing where they were first placed. Others are displayed in Edinburgh. Some are carefully kept in the Tain museum, like the Ardjachie Stone.

A small piece of the famous Nigg Stone is also preserved in the museum.

Tain Through Time Visitor Centre

The museum is just one part of a larger visitor center. This whole center is called Tain Through Time. It offers a complete experience for visitors.

The center also includes the historic Collegiate Church. There's also an old schoolhouse. This schoolhouse is now called The Pilgrimage. It has a gallery with pictures and information. These illustrate the journeys of King James IV to Tain.

Awards and Recognition

In 1998, the museum received a special award. This was part of the Hydro-Electric Scottish Museum of the Year Awards. They won for publishing a book. The book was called A Balance of Silver, a history of the old silversmiths of the Tain area. This award recognized their great work in sharing local history.