Community Heritage in Scotland

In the market town of Crieff, a dedicated team of volunteers have answered local demand by revitalising the Old Town Hall and creating a space for the community to ‘cross paths with history’. Crieff and Strathearn Museum is now a catalysing force in the town’s regeneration, promoting local pride and attracting visitors from far around.

The Museum has been funded by:

• Community Led Local Development Fund, administered by Perth & Kinross Council 
• The Gannochy Trust 

Independent and volunteer-run, Crieff and Strathearn Museum is on a mission to keep alive the rich history of Strathearn and attract people to Crieff town centre. Situated in the Old Town Hall on Crieff’s High Street, the museum houses the ‘Crieff Monuments’ which span over 1000 years of history and symbolise Crieff’s deep roots.

With other landmark buildings in Crieff town centre still boarded up, the restoration of the Old Town Hall demonstrates how community heritage can kick-start regeneration. Dedicated to sharing the history of Strathearn, the museum – which includes a community event space and a small shop selling books and handmade items by local authors and makers – provides a space where the community can take pride in its cultural identity and welcome tourists to the heart of Crieff. Outreach activity, including volunteer talks in the community, also promotes connection and combats social isolation.

Before the museum leased the Old Town Hall from the council in 2023, the historic High Street landmark lay vacant for several years, suffering damp. The Crieff Monuments could only be viewed by appointment, and the possibility of their removal from the building was raised. Since taking occupancy, the museum has used local funding to transform the ground and first floors and integrate the Monuments into a wider heritage offer; a significant step forward in efforts to regenerate Crieff’s townscape and local economy.

A municipal building has stood on the site of Crieff Old Town Hall since 1665, when it was first a tollbooth. The architecture of the current Category B-listed building, completed in 1850, echoes the previous structure with its pyramidal-roofed tower. The Old Town Hall holds resonance for locals with living memory of its use as a seat of local government and justice until the mid-1970s. For some, the sound and sight of the ‘toon clock’ high above the surrounding streets holds particular personal significance for its long familiarity.

Crieff and Strathearn Museum originated in 2016 after a public consultation established strong support for a local museum. A motivated group of volunteers began to establish a collection and run pop-up exhibitions in the community until they successfully fundraised to lease their premises in 2023 and opened in 2024. The museum is a registered charity with eight trustees who share a desire to create “an inspiring venue to entertain and to educate”. The group are forward-looking and keen to integrate new technologies and innovative approaches into their historical interpretation work.