Scotland's Cultural Treasures

5th December 2011

First Minister Alex Salmond has declared Scotland's cultural treasures as a magnificent bounty on the eve of the re-opening of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.

In a year when Stirling Castle Palace, the Burns Museum, the National Museum of Scotland and now the Portrait Gallery have all undergone considerable renovation, the FM has reflected on the renaissance in the nation's cultural wealth and the pride Scottish people are rediscovering in their heritage.

He said:"In a matter of one year, we have seen some of our most important treasure houses reinstated as world-leaders in their field and as First Minister I have been extremely proud to watch this renaissance in our cultural heritage.

"The re-opening of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery which celebrates well-known Scots from throughout the ages; whether they are some of our greatest thinkers or our modern actors and actresses, tomorrow sees the culmination of two years' work to not only restore this wonderful building but allow visitors to experience much of what architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson envisaged in his original design as it continues to showcase Scotland's greatest asset - its people.

"Now all aspects of Scottish life and achievement are encapsulated in the many artworks which will now be displayed to their utmost as part of this ambitious £17.6 million project.

"At the beginning of what has been a magnificent 12 months for Scotland's cultural legacy with iconic buildings having new life breathed into them, I attended the opening of the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum - a lasting legacy of our Year of Homecoming - which allows us the opportunity to celebrate his influence on the modern world and his contribution to Scotland's culture and creativity. The £21 million National Trust for Scotland project was funded by partners including the Scottish Government, the Heritage Lottery Fund and South Ayrshire Council as well as private donations from across the world. The Scottish Government provided funding of £8.6 million.

"Already an award-winning tourist attraction, the museum will bring a wealth of economic and cultural benefits to South Ayrshire and Scotland and bring to life the work of Robert Burns for this and future generations.

"And in June, I attended the official opening of Historic Scotland's £12 million project to return Stirling Castle's royal palace to how it may have looked in the 1540s. Craftsmen and women from all over Europe worked on the project to recreate the 16th Century world inhabited by Mary of Guise, the widow of James V, and their infant daughter Mary Queen of Scots and already visitor numbers have shown a substantial increase.

"We have also seen the magnificent £47.4m refurbishment of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh - an already breathtaking example of Victorian architecture which has been taken to another level, above and beyond the expectations of a museum of the 21st Century. Visitor numbers have just broken the one million barrier less than four months after re-opening and word of the stunning displays has already travelled around the world."

2011 also saw the opening of Glasgow City Council's new Glasgow Museum of Transport and Travel which reached its millionth visitor just this week. Two other high-profile projects include the opening of the V&A at Dundee which will be an international centre of design for Scotland with an anticipated opening in 2015, as well as the construction of the new Bannockburn Heritage Centre which is expected to open in 2014 to mark the anniversary of the Battle.

Mr Salmond said:"As First Minister, I am proud to see these new world class attractions boosting Scotland's outstanding cultural assets which I hope will inspire both our people and our visitors as we journey through our Year of Creative Scotland in 2012 towards Homecoming 2014 and beyond. There can be no reason for us not to be aware of the amazing work and creations which our nation has produced over the years and the effect this has gone on to have on the rest of the world. Those who take care of this heritage have a special part of play in preserving our past - and our futures - for those generations to come and they must be thanked for the painstaking work they have undertaken to enable a year of magnificent re-openings to take place throughout 2011."

Dr Gordon Rintoul, Director of National Museums Scotland, said:"We have been delighted and astounded by the phenomenal public response to the transformation of the National Museum of Scotland. The restoration of the building, the new displays and the work we have done in making it more open and accessible have been warmly received by visitors from Scotland and abroad.

"We have now welcomed over one million visitors to the Museum in just under four months - eight months earlier than expected. Our redevelopment combined with the launch of so many new attractions is fantastic news for Scotland and provides an outstanding cultural platform by which to strengthen her international reputation."

Gillian Macdonald, Executive Manager of Stirling Castle, said:"This year has been really memorable in terms of fantastic new additions to Scotland's amazing history and heritage. It has been really wonderful to see the positive reactions shown by visitors to Stirling Castle as they see the spectacular refurbishment of the six royal apartments.

"The recreation of the Renaissance interiors was based on detailed research by academics and expert craftsmen to ensure the results are as close to the original interiors as possible. Their work has been outstanding and we are extremely proud of everything they have achieved into making Stirling Castle a top attraction for visitors from around the world. We are delighted to report that our visitor numbers have increased by 13 per cent in comparison with last year."