The date for the long-awaited re-opening of St Andrews Heritage Museum and Garden after a £1.78million revamp has been announced.

The public will be able to see inside once again from September 14 after a transformation that was five years in the making;

The venue, operated by the St Andrews Preservation Trust, is housed in a 17th century grade B listed former fishing cottage in the heart of the town’s conservation area.

The 18-month redevelopment has included the extensive restoration of the historic roof, the refurbishment of outbuildings, and the creation of a new temporary exhibition space, ‘The Garden Gallery’. The works have also improved accessibility and brought much needed facilities, including visitor toilets and offices.

Embroidery created as part of the ‘Unbroken Threads’ exhibition (Pic: Submitted)

placeholder image — Embroidery created as part of the ‘Unbroken Threads’ exhibition (Pic: Submitted)

The museum will reopen with six permanent exhibitions spaces that focus on the social history of St Andrews, with the first temporary exhibition titled ‘Unbroken Threads: Ukrainian Reflections on Home, Community & Hope’ - a co-curated display with displaced Ukrainians of photography, embroidery, film and personal stories.

The trust is hoping the redevelopment will bring long-term sustainability to the museum, providing a much-needed space in the area for co-curation and events.

Sam Walker, museum manager, said: “This transformational project is over five years in the making, and it is the first redevelopment of the museum since it opened over 40 years ago by enthusiastic volunteers. It was critical to restore the roof and resolve issues around accessibility and facilities, but we have used this as an opportunity to engage new audiences and amplify local stories.

“The project could not have happened without the support of our funding partners, Trust Members and dedicated team of over 70 volunteers. We are so excited to welcome everyone back through the door of our quirky and much-loved house & garden.”

Museum Staff, Emma Humphries (Ops & Volunteer Coordinator), Sam Walker (Manager) and Natasha Liu (Outreach Officer), with Trustees and Volunteers of the St Andrews Preservation Trust outside the redeveloped museum (Pic: Submitted)

Funders for the project include National Lottery Heritage Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland, and over 30 national and local funders.

> The trust was formed in 1937 by the community to protect historic buildings from demolition and redevelopment. It maintains several sites around the St Andrews area, ranging from doocots, the Heritage Museum at 12 North Street, and the Boase Wood.

It opened its museum, the St Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden, at 12 North Street in 1982. The Museum is set in a 17th century house and garden, a stone’s throw from St Andrews Cathedral and St Andrews Castle. The Museum and Gardens are in the oldest settlement of St Andrews and is one of the earliest domestic dwellings in the area. The Museum boasts a collection of over 28,000 artefacts and benefits from a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer workforce.