We have a brand-new exhibition at our Heritage Centre in Saltcoats and it’s all about fashion! We are going back to the 60’s and 70’s for ‘They Wore It So Well’, an exhibition which celebrates the fashions from those two decades. The exhibition features a lovely variety of dresses, shoes, handbags and coats and it’s all from the collection of …
Ardrossan War Memorial has Been Added to the ‘Stories’ Section
At the top of our ‘Stories’ section, is our list of notable ‘Buildings, Castles & Monuments’ throughout North Ayrshire. We are slowly, but surely, adding North Ayrshire’s war memorials to the list and we are pleased to announce the addition of Ardrossan war memorial! Unveiled in May, 1923, the memorial was designed by Dr Peter MacGregor Chalmers of Glasgow who …
North Ayrshire’s D-Day Roll of Honour
Have you seen the latest addition to our website? We have prepared something special to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings: North Ayrshire’s D-Day Roll of Honour. Our website now has a permanent page dedicated to those from North Ayrshire who fell during the invasion, whose names are on the British Normandy Memorial. The British …
The Largs War Memorial has Been Added to the Stories Section
Another new addition to our ‘Stories’ section is the Largs War Memorial. Dedicated on the 19th of September, 1921 the memorial features three soldiers carved from white freestone by sculptor William Kellock Brown. The statue bears the names of 85 men who were killed in the First World War and 67 who were killed in the Second World War. You …
PS Waverley has Been Added to the Stories Section
The legendary paddle steamer PS Waverley is now in the Stories section of our website! You can learn all about the history of the PS Waverley, from it’s launch on the 2nd of October, 1946 to it being withdrawn from service in 1973 and ultimately sold to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1. The text, paintings, photos, programmes and …
‘Song of the River Steamers’ at the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre
All aboard for our new exhibition! ‘Song of the River Steamers‘ is now on display at our Heritage Centre in Saltcoats and features a wide variety of objects including models, paintings, brochures and more from the collection of Charles Glen. His collection was kindly donated to us in 2018 and was recently on display at Millport. The new exhibition is …
New ‘Cumbrae Queen’ Exhibition at the Museum of the Cumbraes
We have a new exhibition on display at Garrison House, Millport and it is all about a Cumbrae tradition that dates back to 1964: the Cumbrae Queen! For the last 60 years a different girl has been crowned Cumbrae Queen annually and the exhibition showcases the history of this tradition. Come along and enjoy video interviews with former queens and …
New and Unusual Exhibition Finished
Our exhibition ‘New and Unusual‘ has now officially ended and we are in the process of installing our new exhibition ‘Song of the Clyde River Steamers’ featuring artworks by Charles Glen, which document the history of steamers on the Clyde. We are still in the change-over phase but feel free to pop in and see the new exhibition take shape!
Hunterston Castle Has Been Added To The Castles Section
We have now added Hunterston Castle to the ‘Castles‘ section of the website! One of North Ayrshire’s most historic castles, it has been in the ownership of the Hunter family for around 800 years. Originally consisting of a tower, with a moat and rampart, it has changed throughout the centuries to include the attached Hunterston House. To read more about …
Law Castle Has Been Added To The Castles Section
Our ‘Castles‘ section has a new addition: this time we are in West Kilbride, with the pretty Law Castle! Originally built in the 15th century, it was a gift for Princess Mary. Later, it was a ruin and now it is once again occupied after being fully restored. Read more about Law Castle HERE (and enjoy some nice pictures too!)