Perth Art Gallery is the principal art gallery and exhibition space in the city of
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, Scotland. It is located partly in the Marshall Monument, named in memory of
Thomas Hay Marshall
Thomas Hay Marshall (1770 – 15 July 1808) was twice lord provost of Perth, Scotland. With a passion for Georgian architecture,Perth Museum opening within
Perth City Hall
Perth City Hall is an events facility in King Edward Street, Perth, Scotland. It is a Category B listed building. Built in 1914, it closed in 2005 and underwent a major renovation, beginning in 2018, including the introduction of a museum in par ...
.
History
The museum's location was formerly the site of a late 12th-century
motte and bailey
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or Bailey (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortification ...
castle, built in 1160 to protect the Tay crossing. A great flood in 1209 washed the castle away. The King,
William I
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087 ...
, was staying in it at the time and had to escape with his wife and entourage by boat to Scone.
The Marshall Monument was designed by David Morison and sculpted by John Cochrane and Brothers."Anniversary of man who shaped Perth but died penniless" – '' Daily Record'', 11 July 2008
Construction began in 1822, and it was opened as a library and museum by the Literary and Antiquarian Society of Perth in 1824. It is one of the United Kingdom's oldest purpose-built museums, and in 1915 it was gifted to the city by the Society on the condition that it was continued to be used only as a library or museum.
Extension
After large donations of money and paintings were bequeathed to the museum, an extension was planned for the building. In 1930 an architecture competition took place and was judged by Sir James John Burnett, a Scottish architect. A Perth firm, Smart, Stewart & Mitchell, won and the extension was begun with the laying of the foundation stone by lord provost Thomas Dempster on 2 December 1932. Work continued between 1933 and 1935, and it was opened on 10 August 1935 by the Duke and Duchess of York,Civic History of Perth from Medieval Times – Perth Civic Trust the future
King George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...
and
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to:
Queens regnant
* Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland
* Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
. This extension housed the donated paintings as well as the Natural History collections of Perthshire Society of Natural Science which had previously been held at its museum at
62–72 Tay Street
62–72 Tay Street (also known as the County Buildings) is an historic row of buildings in Perth, Scotland. Designed by local architect John Young, the building is Category B listed, dating to 1881. Standing on Tay Street, the building was origina ...
.
It was made a
category B listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
in May 1965.
The museum's collection
The museum collection includes the South Corston fragment of the
Strathmore meteorite
The Strathmore meteorite landed in the Strathmore area of Perthshire on 3 December 1917. It was reported to have been in four fragments, subsequently named Essendy, Carsie, Keithick and South Corston.mummy of a woman named Ta-Kr-Hb.
See also
*
List of listed buildings in Perth, Scotland
This is a list of listed buildings in the parish of Perth, Scotland.
List
:''All entries, addresses and coordinates are based on data froHistoric Scotland This data falls under thOpen Government Licence'
...