Perth Art Gallery – Top 5 things to discover.
Perth Art Gallery Top Five Things to Discover
Home to one of the oldest museum collections in the UK, Perth Art Gallery features work by some of Scotland’s most influential artists, including Joan Eardley, John Byrne, Alison Watt, John Bellany, and J.D. Fergusson.
The Gallery also features an ever-changing temporary exhibitions programme, a family play space, a photography gallery, gift shop, toilets, and coffee bar.
Best of all, entry to the Museum is completely free!
Comprising of five permanent galleries and one temporary exhibition space, there is something for all, from the youngest creative to the most devoted art buff.
Hands On Art
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Refreshed in 2025 thanks to funding from The Gannochy Trust, Hands on Art is a dedicated interactive space designed specifically for children 5 and under, and their grown-ups..
Pre-Art Skills: Activities that help children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and colour matching, which are the foundations for creative expression.
Curiosity and Play: Engaging, open-ended experiences that inspire young minds to experiment and explore art in their own unique way.
Sensory-based play experiences: Fun areas and resources that not only support little ones to engage in art but also to use the senses to help build nerve connections in the brain, supporting cognitive growth, language development, and problem-solving skills.
So, whether it is your child’s first time visiting a gallery or their hundredth, this is the ideal place to create, touchplay, and discover.
The Dark Room
For the first time in 20 years, the upper level of the iconic rotunda space in Perth Art Gallery is once again open for visitors to marvel, featuring a fascinating look at photography in the pre-digital age.
For 150 years, photographs relied on light reacting with chemicals.
This created a variety of styles and effects, and the techniques changed and improved throughout time.
The display highlights Scotland and Perth’s role in the dawn of photography, and the permanent display showcases some of the early methods of photography.
Marvel at some of the original equipment used in creating the photographs, without smartphones or digital editing software.
The Dark Room is only accessible via a steep staircase, which may pose challenges for those with mobility issues.
However, printed copies of all the works on display are available on the ground floor. Please ask a member of staff for assistance.
Fergus and Meg: A Creative Partnership
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Perth Art Gallery is home to the JD Fergusson and Margaret Morris Collection.
The display celebrates the life and creative partnership between Scottish Colourist John Duncan Fergusson and his partner, Margaret Morris, the pioneering dancer.
This collection features over forty paintings, drawings, and watercolours, and is the largest single holding in existence of work by Fergusson).
Visitors to Perth Art Gallery can discover the impact of Fergusson’s work in the history of Western art, and the equally important legacy of renowned dancer, choreographer, and artist Margaret Morris.
This is truly a beautiful collection, to be enjoyed by all.
This exhibition has been generously supported by the J.D. Fergusson Art Foundation.
Modern Scots
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Spread over two galleries, this permanent display shows work from iconic modern and contemporary Scottish artists.
The works on display cover the last 100 years and demonstrate the new and innovative ways in which Scottish artists were working and taking inspiration from the past and from Europe.
The exhibition includes key players in the story of Scottish art, such as Joan Eardley and Sir William MacTaggart, alongside renowned contemporary artists Calum Colvin and Alison Watt.
Changing on a semi-regular basis, so, there is always something new to see when you visit.
When you are in the gallery, don’t miss the labels written by Perth High School students.
Perth Art Gallery Toilets
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The toilets at Perth Art Gallery are home to two murals artfully crafted by Scottish artists Lindsay Grime and Ellietype (Ellie Mills).
The toilets draw inspiration from the art collections housed within the gallery, with the murals representing a fusion of traditional and contemporary artistic influences.
Who knew a trip to the toilet could be so interesting?