Perth Museum

Perth Museum stands in central Scotland’s city of Perth, occupying the former Perth City Hall. The grand 1914 building faces King Edward Street beside the ancient St John’s Kirk. Its entrance opens from St John’s Place, linking the modern museum to the city’s historic heart. The structure now houses Scotland’s collections after a £30 million transformation by Mecanoo. The project reused the City Hall’s events space, closed since 2005. A 2022 vote chose the name ‘Perth Museum’ for the new heritage attraction. The museum’s worth lies in its treasures and stories. Its centrepiece is the Stone of Destiny, the UK’s coronation stone from nearby Scone. A restored Māori cloak of kākāpō feathers, made in the 1810s–1820s, is thought to be unique. The mummified remains of an Egyptian or Kushite woman named Ta-Kr-Hb also draw visitors. Artefacts include a 3,000-year-old Carpow Logboat and a 17th-century dancing dress. Georgina Ballantine’s record-breaking salmon from 1922 is displayed as a cast. Inside, visitors find light-filled galleries arranged around the Stone of Destiny. The restored cloak and Ta-Kr-Hb’s mummy occupy dedicated cases. The Carpow Logboat and Glovers Incorporation dress sit near the salmon cast. Outside, the museum’s setting beside St John’s Kirk offers a view of Perth’s oldest church. King Edward Street’s historic frontage frames the modern entrance. The blend of old and new reflects the city’s past and present.