Demand for a new Strathaven museum
A group of Strathaven folk have launched a petition to get local backing for a new museum in the town.
The new museum would act as a replacement for the John Hastie Museum which was shut down in 2011.
The John Hastie Museum Trust have been on the lookout for a new base in the town since they formed in the midst of the closure.
They are now bidding to create a new community museum for Strathaven and surrounding Avondale and have been encouraging locals to sign their petition to demand a new museum.
They state they now hope to negotiate with the Museums Service of South Lanarkshire Council in order to receive items from the huge John Hastie and Strathaven archives and display them once again.
The Trust’s volunteers have set up summer exhibitions and local popup days which Gordon McAllan, of the Trust, stated had been very popular with folk from the town and visitors alike.
However, he states that a permanent home is needed to meet the technical standards of Museums Galleries Scotland and before the Museums Service will lend archive items.
“Potential sources of funding for the Trust’s work and in particular for the finance to build or convert premises in Strathaven for the new museum all require the same key step: evidence of widespread public support from the people of Strathaven and Avondale for the Trust’s Museum project,” McAllan continued.
“The Trust is gathering signatures to a petition which can be seen in a number of local shops: Strathaven Deserves Its Own Museum”.
“It’s hoped that many hundreds of people will sign and will also welcome news updates from the Trust.”
The Trust are also launching a new website to keep locals up-to-date and to enhance access to wider content.