Museums at home

Museums and Galleries staff are working to share information and stories inspired by the South Ayrshire collections online and via social media - click on the links below to find this information, or follow us on Twitter at @samuseums or on Instagram @southayrshirecouncilculture.

Henry Moore: Threads of Influence - Exhibition at Rozelle House, Ayr

Audio of exhibition and guide to artwork interpretation. The exhibition is on display from 16th July - 2nd October 2022.

BBC Art That Made Us Festival

As part of the BBC #ArtThatMadeUs Festival. The Rozelle House team have created series of short videos that will take you on a virtual tour of six rarely seen artworks from the #WomenInArt exhibition. 

Women in Art is a collaboration between South Ayrshire Council and the Maclaurin Trust. This exhibition looks at the contribution of women to art, both as artist and sitter.

BBC Art That Made Us: George Leslie

BBC Art That Made Us: Barbara Rae

BBC Art That Made Us: Helen Turner

Previous Exhibition: The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists

From September 2020 to June 2021, we were lucky enough to host Helen Day's 'Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists' on its Scottish debut! This exhibition is now closed, but you can still enjoy a virtual visit! 

Ladybird books have been a familiar fixture on children's bookshelves since the 1950s, but few people are aware that they date back to the early days of the Second World War. Told through Helen Day's unparalleled collection of books, original artwork and artefacts, this exhibition showed how the many talented Ladybird illustrators played such an enormous role in the company's success during the 20th century. How many do you remember?

This 360 degree video tour records the Ladybird exhibition at Rozelle House, which is now closed. You can look around by touching the video with your finger, a mouse if you use a laptop/pc, or even view it in virtual reality if your phone can do that!

South Ayrshire Council Art Treasures

Fine Art is of one of the largest collections held by South Ayrshire Council's Museums and Galleries service. It is made up of individual purchases, gifts or bequests from local people, to the former Burghs of Prestwick, Maybole, Girvan, Troon and the Royal Burgh of Ayr.

Today, some of these works are now recognised as being of international or UK significance, and we are incredibly grateful to the original owners for their gifts to our communities.

If you live in South Ayrshire, these works belong to you! Tell us what you think, drop us an email at Rozelle.House@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.

'There's nothing quite like an Ayrshire Tattie'

This exhibition was due to open on the 5th April 2020 at the McKechnie Institute, Girvan. The topic was chosen partly to celebrate the award of PGI status to the 'Ayrshire Earlies', and partly because - we love them! You can tell us about your Ayrshire tattie experiences in the comments section in the blog, or send us an email at Rozelle.House@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.

Visit 'There's nothing quite like an Ayrshire Tattie' blog post.

'Doon the Water, in Lockdown!'
2020 Scotland's Year of Coast and Waters

This exhibition offers a meander along the South Ayrshire Coast, featuring works from the South Ayrshire Council Fine Art collection, with captions researched and created by local members of the U3A Working Art Appreciation Group.

Visit the Art UK website for more information about the artists and art featured in this slideshow.

Alexander Goudie's 'Tam o' Shanter, a tale told in pictures'

Rozelle House is home to Scottish Artist Alexander Goudie's magnificent series of paintings inspired by Robert Burns' famous poem 'Tam o' Shanter'. This narrative cycle of 54 paintings was purchased by South Ayrshire Council with funding provided by the T.B. Hunter Charitable Trust, The Fraser Foundation and the Souter Foundation, and they are now part of our permanent collection. A selection of these works is on display at Rozelle House all year; you can see all 54 works online below.

Ronald Rae Sculptures at Rozelle Park, Ayr