The Gordon Highlanders: The Regimental Museum

The Gordon Highlanders
The Regimental Museum

Regimental Museum

Click on the photo to visit the Museum's web site.

A VERY special congratulations to the Museum's outstanding volunteers who received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in June 2009. A very well deserved recognition!

In July 2009 theopened its newest permanent exhibit, the Silver Store. Set along the hall leading towards the Laikin and Hamilton Rooms, this beautifully designed display offers the opportunity to explore the regiment's spectacular silver collection. Visitors are invited to explore both the grandeur of the Officers' Mess as well as the art history of the pieces.

Welcome! The museum is please to have Claire Petty as its new Executive Director. She brings a wealth of skills to St Luke's and we look forward to her carrying on the tradition of high standards. The museum's current chairman, Patrick Machray, OBE CA, was appointed in March 2009. A son of the regiment, he is well-known in the northeast for his business sense and charitable work.

At the time of the Regiment's amalgamation in 1994, the Regimental Museum shared rather cramped quarters with the Regimental Headquarters at St. Luke's House in Viewfield Road. The attic and closets were stuffed with paintings, uniforms, medals, and any kind of artifact one might hope to find. The display area was limited to a few glass cases with the stairway serving as a gallery. Since that first visit, the museum has undergone fundamental and spectacular changes. In 1997, the museum completed a massive construction project, combined with tremendous volunteer efforts and a small professional staff, which resulted in an amazing facility. Building from strength to strength, the museum recently embarked on an ambitious remodeling project which has just been completed. The museum now offers state of the art displays of the Regiment's history, and offers a number of special educational opportunities to students in the Northeast. In recognition of the Museum's excellence, they were recently awarded the nation's first certificate for museum operations, proving that it stands at the forefront of what a museum should be like. The now famous tea room, beautiful gardens (see the photo, left, taken in April 2007), and fun gift shop complete the complete experience.

The museum is now also offering special catered events for celebrations and corporate events. The Museum has received the Scottish Tourist Board's top rating of Five Stars. By way of reference, the Scottish Parliament visitors' centre only carries four! The Museum was also awarded a Thistle Award as Scotland's Best Tourist Attraction (based on customer care) several years ago, a standard they continue to demonstrate.

If you're ever in Aberdeen, this is a "must see" destination; plan on staying for several hours at least, enjoy the tea room scones, and take something home with you! Even if you're not in Aberdeen, please take a few minutes to visit their website (click on the photo, above). You won't be able to sit in the garden with your tea, but you can still order most anything from the gift shop!

This page was last updated on Friday, 07 May 2010