Montrose Museum

Montrose Museum opened in 1842 in Montrose, Angus, Scotland. The museum came into being when in 1841 the Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society started a fund to expand its space; in order to house its curiosities and wonders ranging from geological and ethnographical artefacts to a collection of Natural History objects and Fine Art. It was accredited by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council in June 2009.The MuseumFrom 1837 the collection was housed at a local school but in 1842 was moved into a purpose-built museum, one of the first of its kind in Scotland. The museum is built of pink sandstone in the neo-classical style, fronted by Ionic columns. Inside the collection is presented in a spacious atrium. From October 2009 it will undergo refurbishment and accessibility improvements and will reopen in 2010. The refurbishment took longer than first anticipated and the museum didn't re-open until 1 March 2011, almost two years since the refurb began.The CollectionThe collection includes archaeological finds from the neolithic and Bronze Ages; stones from what was the Pictish civilisation of Circhen but is now Angus; and the Inchbrayock Stone, also Pictish and dating from 850-950AD. Their collection contains 38 Ancient Egyptian relics and objects from Thebes. The history of the Burgh of Montrose is explored; afterwards featuring the life of James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose and his larger role in Scottish history relating to his part first as Covenanter and then as Royalist and his part in the Jacobite Uprising.