By Laura McQueen, Visitor Services Assistant
This year at the National Museum of Costume exhibitions officer Maureen Barrie and her team are changing many of the rooms here to give the house a new look for 2011, with input from our Senior Curator of Scottish History, Dress and Textiles, Fiona Anderson. Changes will be seen in the Dining room, Drawing room, Library and of course the special exhibition room, where we will be showing a revised version of the Land Girls and Lumber Jills exhibition, held at the National War Museum last year.
Shambellie House in spring.
There is so much to do to get the house ready for opening on 1 April and so little time. With only two weeks to go, the house is a hive of industry. As building work is carried out we’re contending with holes in the ceiling, dustsheets and wet paint! This is partly due to adjustments being made to the heating system, to try and avoid any challenges should we experience another severe winter. The cleaning of the house is almost done – we hope that we don’t have to start all over again due to the dust coming from the work!
Collections Management are here packing and removing the Charles Stewart Collection to take it to the new storage at the National Museums Collection Centre in Granton. Then we will be interviewing for three new staff, followed by induction and the arrival of the exhibition team to install Land Girls and Lumber Jills. It’s all go!
