Montrose Museum opened in 1842 in

Montrose, Angus Montrose ( , gd, Monadh Rois) is a town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Situated north of Dundee and south of Aberdeen, Montrose lies between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers. It is the northernmost coastal town in Angus ...

, Scotland. The museum came into being when in 1841 the Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society started a fund to expand its space; in order to house its curiosities and wonders ranging from geological and ethnographical artefacts to a collection of natural history objects and

fine art In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...

. It was accredited by the

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) was until May 2012 a non-departmental public body and registered charity in England with a remit to promote improvement and innovation in the area of museums, libraries and archives. Its function ...

in June 2009.

The museum

From 1837 the collection was housed at a local school but in 1842 was moved into a purpose-built museum, one of the first of its kind in Scotland. The museum is built of pink sandstone in the neo-classical style, fronted by Ionic columns. Inside the collection is presented in a spacious atrium. From October 2009 it will undergo refurbishment and accessibility improvements and will reopen in 2010.

The collection

The collection includes archaeological finds from the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...

and the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...

; stones from what was the Pictish civilisation of Circinn but is now Angus; and th
Inchbrayock Stone
also Pictish and dating from 850-950AD. Their collection contains 38 Ancient Egyptian relics and objects from Thebes. The history of the Burgh of Montrose is explored; afterwards featuring the life of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and his role in Scottish military history. The adjoining art gallery has featured the work of local artists including William Lamb, Edward Baird, James Barclay, David Waterson, Malcolm McCoig, Rowena Comrie, Maurice Forsyth-Grant, Briony Anderson, Jackie Gardiner, Colin McPherson, Ingrid A. Fraser, Struan Hamilton, Bella Green, Fiona Turnbull and Hetty Haxworth as well as the work of the Original Art Group. The work of the

Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour The Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours (RSW) is a Scottish organisation of painters. The first preliminary meeting of the society took place in Glasgow on 21 December 1877 as a reaction to a lack of interest in watercolour art by ...

including that of

George Paul Chalmers George Paul Chalmers (1833 – 20 February 1878) was a Scottish landscape, marine, interior and portrait painter. Life Chalmers was born at Montrose, the son of a captain of a coastal vessel, and at the age of twenty he started to study ...

is part of a short exhibition running from 26 September. In the mezzanine above maritime relics illuminate the history of the east coast whaling industry. This sits alongside an impressive array of model boats. There is interesting

taxidermy Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proc ...

of local wildlife and a small geology display with a collection of

semi-precious A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, ...

agate stones, in a darkened room at the top of the building.

The Community

There are regular children's activities as well as occasional afternoon talks and evening events. The museum often features work by local groups in its art gallery. In 2008 the Amici Wind Quintet from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama appeared at the museum.

References

External links

Montrose Museum on Angus Alive Website

Digital Images from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
{{Scottish Museums and Art Galleries , state=collapsed Egyptological collections in Scotland Art museums and galleries in Scotland Greek Revival architecture in the United Kingdom Category B listed buildings in Angus, Scotland Museums established in 1842 Museums in Angus, Scotland Local museums in Scotland Maritime museums in Scotland History of Angus, Scotland 1842 establishments in Scotland Neoclassical architecture in Scotland Natural history museums in Scotland Montrose, Angus