Highlands bunker is best in UK
A museum which moved to a former nuclear bunker has won a top award.
Art Fund Museum Of The Year has been awarded to five ve nu es,sharin ga £200,000 prize. They include G air loch Museum, in Scotland, which recently re locat ed to a new home.
A former Cold war nuclear bunker which now showcases the local history, cultural and natural heritage of a remote corner of the Highlands has been crowned one of the UK’S best museums.
The new attraction in Gairloch, in Wester Ross, has been recognised just over a year after it opened following a £2.4 million project which took eight years to bring to fruition.
Located on the North Coast 500 driving route around the Highlands, the museum was created at a site of what had long been branded Gairloch’s most notorious eyesore.
It features displays on an Iron Age bronze hoard and a Pictish stone which were found locally, as well as G air loch’ s historic lighthouse, the Gaelic language, a replica croft house and the midges which descend on the area in the summer.
The library at the museum features an archive of more than 4000 photographs depicting life in and around the north-west Highland village.
It is one of five UK museums which will secure a £200,000 prize pot, after the cultural charity decided to share its annual “Museum of the Year” title for the first time due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sector.
Aberdeen Art Gallery was also recognised in the wake of acclaim for its £34.6 million refurbishment, which took four years to complete.
Outlanders tar Sam Heughan,w ho supported an appeal to help raise the final £60,000 for the project, will be taking part in a special online event to celebrate G air loch Museum’s title, bringing to life a folktale inspired by its collections. More than 120 volunteers were involved in the project to transform a semi-derelict eyesore overlooking Loch Gairloch and the Minch.
Built in the 1950s, during the early years of the Cold War, the Anti-aircraft Operations Room (AAOR) was part of the UK’S defence system against the anticipation of nuclear attack from Russia and was maintained as a civil defence centre until 1990.
It was later used as a roads depot until it re located, but was revived after a campaign to find anew home for a heritage museum create data steading in 1977.
The Art Fund judges hailed the restoration project as “a tale of people-power, determination, and local pride.”
They added :“Them useum’s move in 2019 to a new home – not a grand new build but are purposed nuclear bunker – transformed a village eyesore into an impor - t ant visitor attraction. "There display of its collecti on, which encapsulates the history, culture, be auty and character of G airloch, and its new home have re animated the village’ s pride in its heritage, created a buzzing new community hub, and produced a sustainable cultural landmark for generations of visitors to enjoy.”
Museum curator Karen Buchanan said :“Therecogn it ion that comes with this award brings our small, independent museum to the national stage.”