There are some truly great museums in Scotland and Grantown Museum is one of them! A great visit for all ages. It boasts an array of interesting exhibitions and must-attend events. Housed in Burnfield House which has a rich, local history as the previous Grantown Female School, it has been a major part of a community initiative and still remains as a community project to this day.
From the 13th May – 30th September 2023, Grantown Museum – located in Badenoch and Strathspey in Highland Region and the Cairngorms National Park – has put on an exhibition that you do not want to miss!! Marked as one of the biggest exhibitions it has ever displayed, the museum is borrowing paintings and drawings by the famous Victorian artist Sir Edwin Landseer and telling the story of his time in the Cairngorms and how that influenced the way we view Highlanders and Highland Life.
Two hundred years ago, Edwin Landseer followed his wealthy patrons from the upper-class drawing rooms of London to spend his summers in the wilderness of the Cairngorms. The drama and mystery of the landscape would have a profound effect on the artist and his work, and he in turn would do much to popularise a romantic vision of the Highlands as an exotic northern wilderness. Landseer’s obsession and fascination with the Cairngorms inspired the creation of a new visual identity for the Highlands during a time of great cultural and societal change.
The exhibition will feature unseen works by Sir Edwin Landseer and explore how the Highlands have been shaped by his enduring imagery. It will also include paintings from the Royal Collection, Woburn Abbey and The University of Dundee, as well as works on paper from private collections, and photographs from the museum’s own collection.
“The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections,” stated Dan Cottam, Museum Manager.
For the more adventurous, you can also experience life in the past. Choose from a fabulous collection of replica costumes that you can book to have a Grown Up Dressing Up experience with over 20 exquisite, handmade replica costumes in sumptuous fabrics transporting you back to the fashion of the past. Perfect for hen parties, large groups or even just as a unique on location experience for two. Dependent on the type of experience you require your experience can last from 60 – 90 minutes and even include some champagne.
If you would like to know more about these unique experiences and exhibitions, see below.