THE Stone of Destiny is to become the centrepiece of Perth’s new £26.5 million museum at City Hall.
Nicola Sturgeon announced the decision to move it to Perth from Edinburgh Council, where it has been housed since 1996.
The Stone of Destiny is a symbol of Scotland’s monarchy. King Edward I of England took the stone in 1296 and had it incorporated into a new throne at Westminster, with it being used in the coronation ceremonies of the monarch of England.
Famously, on Christmas Day of 1950, four Scottish students removed the stone from Westminster Abbey and returned it to Scotland – with it being located at the high altar of Arbroath Abbey three months later, before being officially returned to Scotland in 1996.
Now its story will be brought to life using cutting edge technology in a custom designed exhibition space. It will be free for all to see, with Perth and Kinross Council expecting it to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area.
BAM is the main contractor on the museum project, with the local authority anticipating work to be completed in 2024.
Councillor Murray Lyle, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said, “I’m hugely proud and excited that The Stone of Destiny will be moving to Perth. Our new £26.5million, world-class museum is the perfect place to display this historically significant object, which represents both Perth’s history as the original capital of Scotland and our future as a vibrant new city. Perth has a growing population and ambition – a place to live life well, where culture and heritage is accessible to all. As the centrepiece of our nationally recognised collection, The Stone of Destiny is a game-changer, firmly establishing Perth as the place to be.”
