Why I donated
ARTEFACT enthusiast Jan Brown tells why Kilmartin Museum is more than just a building to her.
WITH a redevelopment project at Kilmartin Museum well under way, museum donor Jan Brown has spoken of why she chose to support the ambitious project.
‘I started visiting the museum not long after it opened,’ Jan said, ‘but have been actively involved in helping run things here for many years now. Starting out in an advisory group I then progressed on to become a trustee, director of the trading company and a member of the fundraising committee.’
Jan’s passion for the museum is obvious when she is asked what makes it so special. She describes the museum as ‘unique’, saying it is ‘more than just artefacts in a building’. Although Jan is not an archaeologist, nor does she live in Kilmartin, the boost for Mid Argyll as a whole that the increase in visitors to the museum following its redevelopment will have is one of the most important reasons she has for supporting the project.
She said: ‘The museum’s location in Kilmartin Glen means that it is entrenched in the landscape and this gives it an ambience that other museums in cities or those far removed from historical sites just don’t seem to have.
‘I also used to run a tourist-based business in nearby Ardfern, and so know how important the museum is at bringing tourists to the area and how much the economy of Mid Argyll relies on these visitors.
‘People will come to see the museum but then stay in local bed and breakfasts or guesthouses, and go out for lunch at local cafés or pubs.
‘There are many aspects of the redevelopment that I am looking forward to and excited to be able to support. Obviously the larger space means that more fascinating artefacts will be displayed and so more people will come and visit, but the museum also plans to have a large exhibition area where different cultural and artistic events can be held.’
When asked why she thinks others should donate to the redevelopment project and support Kilmartin Museum, Jan explained: ‘Firstly, it’s a good feeling to be part of what is an exciting project. I believe that the redevelopment team is very strong and really well run. It’s an opportunity to see your money go not only to the museum but also back into the local community, with the promise of more tourists to the area that will benefit businesses and people all over Mid Argyll. In this way you would be supporting not only the preservation of Kilmartin’s past but also the future of a much wider area.’
If anyone would like to find out more about Kilmartin Museum’s redevelopment project contact redevelopment@kilmartin.org.