Museum of Aberdeenshire to be created in Peterhead as part of £20m redevelopment plan

A Museum of Aberdeenshire will be created at Peterhead’s historic Arbuthnot House telling the stories of the region’s people, places and communities.

The historic Broad Street venue has been lying empty for the last decade and is currently on the buildings at risk register.

But, it will undergo massive redevelopment as part of the £20 million Peterhead Cultural Project.

While a planning application has still to be lodged, Buchan councillors were given an exclusive look at what is expected to come.

The town’s existing library will close at the end of December ahead of its move to Arbuthnot House.

But, it will be temporarily relocated to Peterhead Community Centre and open again early next year.

The new library will have computers for visitors to use, as well as a wide selection of books to borrow.

Families will be delighted to know that the popular Bookbug sessions are expected to make a return.

A walled garden at Arbuthnot House converted into car parking back in the 1960s will be restored.
This will see the creation of a much-needed public greenspace in the heart of Peterhead.

A cafe will open to the garden area, offering coffee and light meals to visitors throughout the day.
The first galleries, branded ‘Connections and Beginnings,’ will focus on Aberdeenshire’s history and its people.

Meanwhile, a ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ will honour Georgian and Victorian museums of the past.

Project leader Patricia Weeks explained that the exhibition would be full of “weird and wonderful” items collected through the years.

She also revealed that some objects, ranging from 16th-century artwork and Chinese curios to taxidermy, have already been chosen.

A ‘Hidden Histories’ gallery will look at the darker aspects of the region’s history.

But most importantly, Arbuthnot Museum’s famous polar bear Mochie will make the move to the town centre venue.

He will be placed in a space dedicated to environmental concerns and Arctic exploration.

Ms Weeks said that the galleries will be climate-controlled with the “highest security”.

This means that more valuable items from lenders such as the British Museum can be displayed in the north-east for the first time.

Stories, songs and literature will take centre stage on the first floor, along with a feature on Doric.

Portraits of well-known faces, from author George MacDonald to singer Annie Lennox, are expected to appear here, too.

Seven sub-spaces will look at everything from natural history and archaeology to castles and medieval Aberdeenshire.

The second floor will feature a space exclusively for touring exhibitions and a balcony looking out across Peterhead.

It could host everything from artwork to props and costumes, such as the extremely popular Invasion show, which had to be extended due to overwhelming demand in 2017.

Functions and events could be held here, and loved-up couples would be able to tie the knot in the museum.
The space will be open for party and conference bookings, and it is hoped that the restaurant upstairs could cater for these events.

The 50-seat diner will serve fresh, locally sourced seafood in the evenings, with visitors able to enjoy a cocktail on the outdoor terrace.

Ms Weeks revealed that the local authority is looking to have the building works completed by 2026.

While there is no exact opening date yet, the new museum and library are hoped to open to the public in 2027.

At his first committee meeting following his election last week, new councillor Peter Chapman said he was “enthralled” with the plans.

He added: “It’s a hugely ambitious and exciting project, but boy is it going to make a difference to Peterhead.”

Fellow councillor Anne Simpson echoed his comments, believing the museum will add to the town’s “good vibes.”

“I have no doubt this project will make an absolutely huge contribution to the regeneration of the town,” she stated.