Perth Museum — Attraction in Great Britain

Excellent exhibits and layout. The stone of Destiny right in the heart of the building is imaginatively interpreted and displayed. Love the chronological spread too, from Neolithic right through to present day Perth and Scotland. Some of the stone carvings are absolutely magnificent.

More could be made of some medieval objects of global significance - eg Scotland’s earliest documented engagement with romance culture in the form of the 13th century pewter mirror case depicting the Tristan and Isolde legend. This is of singular important but is currently hidden in plain sight in a display case with coins and diverse medieval artefacts, without recognising its place in the intellectual and cultural history of ideas in Scotland. Be bolder and braver about celebrating these delights! And what about some manuscripts on loan? Surely we shouldn’t miss out the books that are another powerful medium for telling the story of Perthshire and Scotland?

Cracking cafe - brilliantly accessible venue here in terms of ground floor, step free access, comfy chairs, and a thoughtful menu with vegan and gluten free options. Congrats on this.

However: more work on accessibility in the museum is a must. Having one hard wooden table without cushioning or back support as the only fixed seating space on each floor is not ergonomic enough for those with mobility issues who may need to sit and be comfortable. Not all disabilities are visible remember.

Every time I’ve visited, members of my party have struggled to make full use of the visit because of this issue. Some soft seating in each floor - of the same sort as the cafe has -would be an inexpensive fix that would make a huge difference, affording much greater accessibility and inclusion for visitors.

Overall, terrific exhibits and selection of material - a real joy...

I’m a local so have watched and waited for this museum to emerge from what was once Perth City Halls. I visited on the opening weekend and a couple of months later - when it was quieter and I could get in to see the Stone. Positives It’s nice to see the building back in use. Very airy so didn’t feel crowded even on opening weekend when it was busy. Negatives the big wooden box plopped right in middle which houses the Stone just spoils it for me there isn’t enough seats in the immersive experience to view the narrative behind the stone the audio visual show was very poor. It’s displayed in two different rooms, and coz folk are standing, it’s difficult to see the show the second part barely told any story, just shadows of a boy king being crowned with animation similar to Mr Benn I’d seen most of the exhibits before in the old museum so no great surprises there I personally dislike interactive storyboards, means only one person can view at any given time poor lighting on some exhibits made the notices difficult to read

Overall I don’t want to appear too negative but I do feel rather underwhelmed. I’d prefer to see the wooden box gone and the stone taking pride of place in a glass exhibit in the centre, with more information about it to be read at leisure.

The old main entrance seems like a forgotten space. I didn’t pay extra for the unicorn exhibition. The cafe was nice though noisy coz...

Outstanding museum, free to visit. The recently renovated building displays a remarkable collection of objects from Perthshire’s incredibly rich pre-history right through to the modern day. The Stone of Scone / Destiny exhibition (free but ticketed) might take centre stage but the rest of the museum is far more compelling. The stone, bronze and iron age displays are particularly well-exhibited and there are plenty of Pictish stones, carved balls and tools found in the area. The multiple interactive screens that document facial reconstructions of the ancient human skulls on display are brilliant and demonstrate that this is a museum fit for the 21st century. The enormous, 3000 year old log boat found nearby in the river Tay was also a highlight and outshines those on display in the National Museum in Edinburgh. The natural history sections show many of Scotland’s extinct mammals and the mighty aurochs skull is especially striking. There are also informative displays of the development of Perth as a city. The Stone of Destiny exhibition is disappointingly basic and consists only of immersive audio-visual projections and the stone itself (though staff can answer your questions). The museum is, in my opinion, just the right size to spend an hour or two in without becoming overwhelmed by information. The staff were friendly and well-informed. The café is quite expensive but the coffee was good. Highly...