Featured Venue – The McKechnie Institute, Girvan

As Girvan’s cultural hub, the much loved “McKechnie” features a permanent display of artefacts highlighting the town’s heritage, as well as hosting a regular programme of changing exhibitions, events and activities. With a new Explorers programme for kids and a boules court in the back garden, this charming venue is well worth a visit.

The McKechnie opened to the public in the town’s Dalrymple Street in 1889, thanks to the benevolence of local businessmen, Thomas and Robert McKechnie.

Here’s what you can enjoy when you visit over the next few months:

  • The museum’s permanent collection, which includes artworks by Scottish animator, illustrator and comics artist Alec Cubie – best known for illustrating the iconic ‘Rupert Bear’ newspaper strip – and Girvan artist William Muir whose work offers a unique insight into the landscape and life in Carrick. There’s also geology, fossils and the history of Ailsa Craig and its granite; maritime history and model ships; Bronze Age cinerary urns; and a Victorian lounge and bedroom.

  • The current exhibition Lighthouses: Keepers of the Craig, featuring unique objects and records relating to lighthouses, lighthouse keepers and Ailsa Craig, from the Girvan Burgh Collection. There’s also a short film commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Heritage Trust, and artworks by Frances Law and Alex Cubie.

  • Alongside the main exhibition, there are various activities including ‘Crack the Code‘ where you can try your hand at morse code, a communication method used by lighthouse keepers over the years, and a talk on Saturday 25 April by Dr Barry Miller, retained keeper for lighthouses in Ayrshire and Galloway.

  • The venue’s  first ever Artist In Residence, Claudia Zeiske, with a project to highlight the life and work of the fascinating Elizabeth Gray, a collector of fossils from the Girvan region which are now in national galleries across the UK, including London’s Natural History Museum. The artist will be presenting her output between 11 – 18 April,  with celebratory activities on 17 and 18 April.
Two girls looking at a rock with a magnifying glass

For the kids

There's family fun with the new McKechnie Institute Explorers, offering free trail sheets to help youngsters journey through the collection and discover fun facts and interesting objects along the way.

Boules grouped together on gravel.

French boules

Try your hand at a game of French boules in the museum’s very own petanque court, set up in honour of Girvan’s Twin Town, Torcy in France. This is a free activity during the museum’s opening hours with boules available at reception.

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