Helensburgh’s Outdoor Museum has been shortlisted for a prestigious international award. The FX Interior Design Awards will see the museum compete with entrants such as the Domunder archaeological experience under the Domplein Square, Utrecht, Netherlands and the Lotus Square Art Center, Zhuhai, China in the museum or exhibition space category.
The award ceremony, organised by the FX magazine, will be held in the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Wednesday 25th November.
Developed and delivered by art organisation WAVEparticle, In partnership with architects Austin-Smith:Lord, as part of Argyll and Bute Council’s multi-million pound town centre regeneration project, the Outdoor Museum displays a collection of treasured objects brought forward by local residents and organisations in the town. Among these reproductions sit a series of historic artefacts encapsulated in acrylic and three specially commissioned artworks by Lesley Carruthers, Kate Ive and Chris Coleman-Smith.
WAVEparticle Lead Artist, Peter McCaughey, said: ‘’We are delighted to have made the shortlist for such a notable award, despite stiff competition from around the globe.
’’We imagined Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum as a place where local treasures could be permanently on display alongside objects of national significance and newly commissioned artworks, reflecting both the big history of the town and the smaller stories that make up our world.
‘’We envisaged this museum with a collection open to the elements, where the wind and rain and sun and touch of hand make their own contribution to the collection as it grows over the years.
Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Infrastructure, Helensburgh Councillor Ellen Morton, welcomed the news, saying: ‘’This is yet another piece of good news for Helensburgh. Being shortlisted is a huge success and is just another in a long list of reasons for people to visit the town.
‘’The museum makes the newly revamped Colquhoun Square a very interesting place to visit. We would encourage anyone, resident or visitor, to go and take a look.
‘’The focus of this ambitious council is on attracting people to our area, creating jobs and economic prosperity. Projects like this go a long way to doing just that.’’