Kirkcaldy Galleries is the main museum, library and exhibition space inKirkcaldy inFife, Scotland.
The land for the town's museum and art gallery was donated by John Nairn (the grandson of the linoleum manufacturer, Michael Nairn) on the former site of Balsusney House, the home of John Maxton.[1] This was opened in 1925,[1] with the first chairman of trustees local cloth-manufacturer businessman John Blyth, the maternal grandfather of politicianMichael Portillo.
In 2012Fife Council undertook a £2.5m refurbishment of the building, which reopened in June 2013.[2][3] It now contains a museum, library, children's library, PC suite, cafe, gift shop, meeting rooms, museum, local family and history rooms and gallery spaces.
The Galleries opening was attended by local authorVal McDermid, Wolf from Gladiators, MP and former Prime MinisterGordon Brown and artistJack Vettriano.[4]
The art gallery holds the largest collection of paintings byWilliam McTaggart andScottish ColouristSamuel Peploe aside from theNational Galleries of Scotland.[2][5] The museum contains many significant works by theGlasgow Boys.[6] Situated on the ground floor, is the museum's award-winning permanent exhibition covering the town's industrial heritage.[2][5] The museum also has a cafe which displays examples ofWemyss Ware pottery, made in the town from around the 1890s to 1930s.[5]
In 2015, Kirkcaldy Galleries became the first institution in Fife to display work by American photographerDiane Arbus.[7]
TheGreat Tapestry of Scotland was displayed at the Galleries in 2015 where theRosslyn Chapel panel, one of 160 panels, was stolen.[8] It was not recovered and a replacement panel was completed in 2017.[9]
56°06′44″N3°09′58″W / 56.1123°N 3.1660°W /56.1123; -3.1660
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
