Perth Museum in Scotland, United Kingdom, is preparing to open with an exhibition devoted to the unicorn. The museum and its debut exhibition are scheduled to welcome the public on 30 March 2024, with the show planned to continue until 22 September.
A mythical animal traced through objects
Euronews included the exhibition in its selection of spring cultural events. Among the loans it highlights are the Danny Jewel, a pendant combining narwhal horn and enamelled gold, and Luca Longhi's painting Lady and the Unicorn. The objects offer different ways of examining how the same imagined creature has appeared in material culture.
The museum's own announcement sets out a wider range of exhibits, from manuscripts and coins to tapestry and shop signs. It also connects historical loans with objects of personal significance contributed by the local community, including toys and memorabilia.
Historical belief and contemporary interpretation
The display is intended to explore changing meanings rather than present the unicorn as a real animal. The museum explains that narwhal tusks were once believed to come from unicorns, a historical belief that helps place some of the objects in context.
Contemporary commissioned artworks will examine the creature's significance for LGBTQI+ communities. Together with the historical material, this gives the exhibition several points of entry:
- The unicorn as an image used in art and decorative objects.
- Its place in inherited stories and symbolic traditions.
- Its continuing use in personal expression and popular culture.
An opening programme beyond the exhibition rooms
The museum occupies the transformed former City Hall. Its March announcement describes a £27 million project and a programme of opening-weekend activities extending into the city centre and Perth Art Gallery.
Planned family activities include making mythical creatures and heraldic symbols, alongside a children's creative-writing workshop. The programme therefore offers ways to engage with the subject beyond looking at finished exhibits: visitors can also experiment with creating a creature or telling its story.
As of the announcement, these are preparations for the forthcoming opening. The exhibition brings together loans, local contributions and new commissions, with the changing cultural life of one mythical figure providing the common theme.
Sources: Euronews; Perth Museum; Perth Museum.
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