The 'outstanding' £27 million Scottish museum vying to be the best in the UK

A new museum telling the story of 10,000 years of Scottish history has been shortlisted for a £120,000 national prize.

Perth Museum, home of the Stone of Destiny, is the only Scottish nomination for the Art Fund prize, alongside four other institutions from elsewhere in the UK.

Perth Museum opened after a £27 million development. | David Levene

The prize annually shortlists five outstanding museums for Museum of the Year, recognising inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2023 through to winter 2024.

Opened a year ago after a £27 million development of a former City Hall building, the Perth Museum has since welcomed more than 250,000 visitors, smashing its annual visitor target of 167,000 by 50 per cent.

The other shortlisted museums include Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham; Chapter in Cardiff; Compton Verney in Warwickshire and Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast.

Helen Smout, chief executive officer at Culture Perth and Kinross, said: "We are thrilled to be in the running as Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, and honoured to be the only Scottish museum on the shortlist. This nomination belongs to the people of Perth and Kinross, Scotland and all our staff, volunteers, supporters and contributors who have helped make Perth Museum a very special place since we opened just over a year ago.

“We are changing perspectives on what a small, regional museum can achieve. Regardless of who takes home the grand prize, we already feel like winners.”

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Perth Museum is holding an exhibition inviting visitors to explore the real medieval King Macbeth, and the Shakespearean play that made him a household name. The exhibition also includes a never-before-displayed 11th-century sword from the time of the real King Macbeth, a copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio, and first editions of the key historical texts that inspired the play.

Jenny Waldman, director of the Art Fund, said: “Congratulations to Perth Museum on being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. This year’s finalists are inspiring examples of museums at their best – deeply connected to their local communities, responsive to the world around them, and alive with energy and ideas.

The museum opened last year. | David Levene

“Each one offers a distinctive experience, showing the endless creativity and care that goes into making museums inspiring and exciting spaces for everyone.”

She added: “Art Fund is proud to celebrate their work and support their ambition through Art Fund Museum of the Year. We hope people across the UK will be inspired to visit these remarkable places and museums in their local area to discover the powerful role they can play in our lives.”

Alongside the iconic stone, which is an ancient symbol of Scottish monarchy and was used in the coronation of King Charles, the museum displays Perth & Kinross’s Recognised Collections of National Significance as well as iconic loans and exhibitions.

The winning museum will be announced on June 26 at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool, the first time the event will be held outside London. Prizes of £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists, bringing the total prize money to £180,000.