Museums, archives and heritage in Perth & Kinross

Perthshire, east-midland county of Scotland, bounded N. by Inverness-shire and Aberdeenshire, E. by Forfarshire, SE. by Fife and Kinross-shire, S. by Clackmannanshire and Stirlingshire, SW. by Stirlingshire and Dumbartonshire, and W. by Argyllshire; greatest length, E. and W., 72 miles; greatest breadth, N. and S., 60 miles; the detached portion (lying along the upper reach of the Firth of Forth, and separated from the main body by a belt of Fife and Clackmannanshire) is 6½ miles by 4½ miles; area, 1,617,808 acres; population 129,007. Perthshire includes some of the grandest and most beautiful scenery in Scotland, combining features characteristic both of the Highlands and the Lowlands. The ranges of the Ochils and the Sidlaw Hills, which are parted by the estuary of the Tay, occupy the SE.; while the N. and NW. districts, to the extent of more than one-half of the entire county, are occupied with the mountains of the Grampian system, this Highland region being intersected by numerous lochs and glens. The principal rivers are the Forth and the Tay. The soils of this county are of the most varied character, – rich deep clay or loam in the straths, a light sandy or gravelly soil in the hill valleys, and moorland on the higher lands. Coal and ironstone are wrought in the detached section of the county; roofing slate is obtained near Alyth, Comrie, and Dunkeld; and limestone is quarried at various places. Agriculture and sheep-farming are the chief industries. There are extensive deer forests, and the fisheries on the Tay are of very considerable value. The manufactures of woollen and tartan stuffs, cotton, and coarse linens are carried on to some extent. The ancient divisions of Perthshire, now only of local significance, were Athole, Breadalbane, Gowrie, Menteith, Methven, Perth, and Stormont. The county comprises 68 parishes, with parts of 13 others, the parliamentary burgh of Perth, and the parliamentary burgh of Culross (part of the Stirling Burghs).

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Alyth Museum

Commercial Street

Alyth PH11 8AF

01738 632488

goo.gl/hix8U6

Alyth Museum overlooks the countryside of Strathmore, an area rich in farming which is an inspiration and resource for the displays you will find here. Enjoy a wealth of pictures and objects reflecting life as it was, in and around Alyth.

Black Watch Castle & Museum, The

Balhousie Castle, Hay Street

Perth PH1 5HR

01738 638 152

www.theblackwatch.co.uk

The Black Watch Museum is housed in the dramatic and historic Balhousie Castle. The castle is set in its own beautiful gardens and grounds.

Blair Castle

Blair Atholl

Pitlochry PH18 5TL

01796 481207

www.blair-castle.co.uk

Discover Blair Castle and go on a journey into the fascinating past of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Unique amongst Scottish castles, the story told here will take you from a visit by Mary Queen of Scots to the Civil War, and from the Jacobite cause to the disaster of Culloden following Bonnie Prince Charlie’s own stay in the castle. You’ll hear how the lucky inheritance of a smuggler-infested island helped turn the castle into a comfortable home, and learn how Queen Victoria’s famous stay led to the creation of Europe’s only private army, the Atholl Highlanders.

Central Scotland Family History Society

11 Springbank Gardens

Dunblane FK15 9JX

01786 823937

www.csfhs.org.uk

The society was formed in 1990 to serve the needs of those interested in family history who lived in what was then Central Region. This means that as well as the old counties of Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and West Perthshire, the society covers the parishes of Bo’ness and Carriden which were in West Lothian.

Clan Donnachaidh Museum

Bruar

Pitlochry PH18 5TW

01796 483 296

www.donnachaidh.com

Clan Donnachaidh Museum is dedicated to the clan which bears its name. The name Donnachaidh means ‘children of Duncan’.

Dunblane Museum

The Cross

Dunblane FK15 OAQ

01786 823440

www.dunblanemuseum.org.uk

Founded in 1943 the Dunblane Museum is situated right at the heart of the Cathedral City of Dunblane. Few museums can boast that the building in which they are housed is a museum piece itself. Dunblane Museum houses a collection of artefacts, paintings, prints and photographs about the cathedral and Dunblane, and it has one of the largest collections of Communion tokens.

Dunkeld Cathedral Chapter House Museum

Dunkeld Cathedral

Dunkeld PH8 0AW

01350 727 249

www.dunkeldcathedral.org.uk

The Cathedral Chapter House was built in 1457, and served as a sacristy and meeting place for 100 years. After the Reformation, when the Dukes of Atholl became responsible for the upkeep of the church they used the Chapter House as their Mausoleum and it still contains some magnificent monuments and memorials.

Hamilton Toy Collection, The

11 Main Street

Callander FK17 8BQ

01877 330004

www.thehamiltontoycollection.co.uk

A celebration of toys from the last hundred years. Open from March until the end of October.

Museum of Abernethy

Mornington Stables, School Wynd

Abernethy PH2 9JJ

01738 850889

www.museumofabernethy.co.uk

The building, which stands within the lands of the old Culdees monastery, dates from the 18th century. Find out about our Round Tower, mythically built by the Picts. Find out the truth about Abernethy biscuits. Discover more about the local 3000 year old logboat.

Muthill Museum

Station Road

Muthill PH5 2AR

goo.gl/w08OGl

Amongst the many fascinating exhibits, have a look downstairs at the wooden brose bowl and horn spoon which was given to the twelve year old William Ross by his parents in 1869 when he left home to work on a farm. Close by is another ubiquitous cooking utensil of the times; a porridge spirtle which has very obviously seen a lifetime of stirring the old national dish.

Perth & Kinross Council Archive

AK Bell Library, York Place

Perth PH2 8EP

01738 477012

www.pkc.gov.uk/archives

Find information about over 800 years of council records and community collections.

Perth Museum & Art Gallery

78 George Street

Perth PH1 5LB

01738 632488

www.pkc.gov.uk/museums

We are one of the oldest museums in the UK, with more than half a million objects in our large, varied collections.

Scottish Crannog Centre, The

Kenmore, Loch Tay

Aberfeldy, PH15 2HY

01887 830583

www.crannog.co.uk

A crannog is a type of ancient loch-dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland dating from 5,000 years ago. Many crannogs were built out in the water as defensive homesteads and represented symbols of power and wealth. The Scottish Crannog Centre features a unique reconstruction of an early Iron Age loch-dwelling.

Stanley Mills

7.4m North Perth off the A9PH1 4QE

01738 828268

goo.gl/4LY03Q

Enjoy our new hi-tech interactive visitor experience at the spectacular 18th-century water mill complex beside the River Tay. The visitor centre tells the stories of those who worked there and the products they made.