Stone of Destiny takes centre stage at new museum

Perth Museum opens its doors this weekend with the Stone of Destiny as its centrepiece. It follows a £27m redevelopment of the former city hall. The ancient symbol of Scotland was seized by King Edward I of England in the late 13th Century and remained in England for 700 years. It was returned to Scotland in 1996 and placed in Edinburgh Castle.

The museum is funded by a £17m investment from Perth and Kinross Council and £10m from Tay Cities Deal funding from the UK government. The stone sits alongside more than 3,000 local objects, spanning 10,000 years. Its backdrop is an animated presentation on its chequered history and return to Perthshire after 700 years. Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout said the museum was probably the biggest cultural project Perth had seen in two centuries.

Construction work began in early 2021 and was completed in August last year. Entry to the museum is free but advance booking is required to see the Stone of Destiny. limited on-the-day tickets will be available. The immersive experience they’ve created around the Stone of Destiny is a real highlight.

It helps reflect an object of great historical significance even today (and is back in Perth after more than 700 years) A sword belonging to Bonnie Prince Charlie, a cast of the heaviest British rod-caught salmon (by a Miss Ballantine in 1922) and a bronze age logboat preserved in the peaty soil of the area.