Black Watch museum closes for revamp

ONE of Scotland’s most popular military museums closed its doors for the first time in 50 years yesterday to pave the way for a major transformation.

The Black Watch Museum was established at Balhousie Castle, in Perth, in 1962 to honour the history of one of the country’s most famous regiments, which was formed in 1715.

The Black Watch Museum Trust is temporarily closing the museum at the 19th-century Grade B listed castle, overlooking the North Inch, to allow work to begin on a £3.5 million project to redevelop the museum building and galleries and to complete work on a museum extension.

Liz Grant, the provost of Perth and Kinross, officially closed the museum by locking the 160-year-old original bevelled castle door.

The museum is expected to re-open next April.