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Newton Faulkner at Birnam Arts
Wed 15 Jul
Newton Faulkner | Auditorium
20:00 - 22:00
Doors Open 19:00

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Beatrix Potter Exhibition

Open

Daily
10:30 - 15:30
Last Entry 3pm

 

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Beatrix Potter™
Perthshire Experience

Discover the extraordinary story of Beatrix Potter and her enduring links to Highland Perthshire through the Beatrix Potter™ Perthshire Experience at Birnam Arts.
Celebrating the 160th anniversary of her birth, this experience combines our permanent exhibition with the newly reimagined Garden Trail, offering fresh insight into the places, people and wildlife that shaped her life and work.
 
Explore the exhibition to uncover Beatrix’s ties to Birnam and Dunkeld, from childhood summers in Perthshire to her remarkable work as an artist, storyteller and naturalist.
 
The exhibition / garden trail is is part of The Beatrix Potter™ Perthshire Experience. This experience costs £5 per person (4 and unders and carers free) and includes entry to our exhibition, garden trail and a free activity book (children) or guide book (adults). Tickets can be purchased online here or in our gift shop. No advance purchase necessary. 

Image Gallery

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Vertical Sculpture of Beatrix Potter Characters, Beatrix Potter Garden, Birnam, Dunkeld
Beatrix Potter Museum for children

Beatrix Potter's Connection with Perthshire

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Beatrix Potter's Connection with Perthshire

 

 

Beatrix Potter's connection to Perthshire's Dunkeld and Birnam may come as a surprise, even to her most passionate fans. 

Born into a wealthy London family in 1866, Beatrix had a privileged yet solitary upbringing. As a child of the Victorian age, she spent much of her time in the third floor nursery of the staid family Potter Family home in Kensington with only a Scottish nurse and her imagination to amuse her.  

But the Potters left London behind in the summer, often taking three-month breaks in Scotland. An alternative to Europe, the Scottish Highlands was a common destination for wealthy city dwellers to retreat to. From the age of four to age 15, Beatrix and her family stayed in an estate on the River Tay in Dalguise, Perthshire. Later, as a young woman, Beatrix spent a few more summers with her parents in Dunkeld and Birnam. 

The untamed childhood summers spent in Perthshire nurtured Beatrix's creativity. She and her little brother Bertram were free to explore the wild Scottish countryside, indulging their interest in the natural world. This time spent immersed in nature had an enduring influence on Beatrix's development as an artist, scientist, and writer. 

Even after the family began to spend their summers in the Lake District, The Potters returned to Scotland. It was in 1892, while the family was at staying at Heath Park in Birnam, that Beatrix first met a local man of many talents named Charles MacIntosh. Beatrix's interest in natural history as well as her love of drawing and painting had turned to mycology, the study of fungi. MacIntosh, a self-taught naturalist and associate member of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, shared her interest and together they established a lasting collaborative correspondence. This friendship bolstered Beatrix's passion for science and revealed her remarkable artistic talent. 

In 1893, while staying in Dunkeld's Eastwood House, Beatrix wrote a 'picture letter' to the young son of her former governess. The letter became the basis for her first book 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'.  A later book 'The Tale of Jeremy Fisher' also started life as a picture letter, with characters clearly based on her study and exploration on the banks of the River Tay. Additionally, The tale of Mrs Tiggy Winkle'  is thought to be inspired by the Potters' washer woman at Dalguise, Kitty MacDonald of Inver.

Peter Rabbit Merchandise at Birnam Arts

Gift Shop

Peter Rabbit Merchandise

Browse a wide selection of Beatrix Potter themed merchandise in our Gift Shop from books & stationery to candles & jewellery.

Reviews

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Star Star Star Star Star

Great exhibition and performance spaces. Lovely terrace and indoor seating with lots of light. Great food and drinks and even a garden next-door for a stroll afterwards. Like

John Kirkwood   |   Google Reviews

Star Star Star Star

Compact Arts & Conference Centre, it is also the exhibition centre for Beatrix Potter with an adjacent themed garden. The centre has a cafe with indoor / outdoor seating areas. Throughout the year the arts centre hosts a variety of different acts, shows, talks & exhibitions.

Simon Hawkes   |   Google Reviews

Accessibility

Parking

There are two dedicated accessible car park spaces directly in front of the venue. There is a gentle slope from street level up to the accessible entrance.

Entrance

Using the touch pad, enter via the large glass doors to the right of the main entrance.

 

Toilets

There are two Accessible Toilets within the venue, one on each level.

Ramps

There are ramps situated throughout the building to enable easy access from the Café to the Box Office and Shop, as well as on the first floor to go from the Gallery to the Meeting Room.

 

Lifts

There is a lift between the ground level and first floor.

Floor Plan

View our floorplan for more
detailed information.

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Map showing Birnam Arts and conference centre in Scotland

Opening Times

Box Office
Open periodically throughout the week | Book online 24/7


Cafe
Daily | 10 - 4



Birnam Arts
Station Road
Birnam Dunkeld
PH8 0DS
admin@birnamarts.com
Tel: 01350 727 674

Entrance

Welcome to Birnam Arts, a boutique multi-purpose arts, conferencing and entertainment venue.

Highlights

Pop in to the Foyer Cafe for breakfast, grab a delicious coffee with a selection of our homemade baking or enjoy a light lunch whilst browsing on the free WiFi. Wander upstairs to view the latest of our monthly art exhibitions before visiting the world of Beatrix Potter, or the Gift Shop to purchase a special gift for your loved ones or yourself!

Star Star Star Star

A lovely welcome. Keep on flourishing.

Alan Reid   |   Birnam Book Festival 2018

Beatrix Potter Garden

Opening times

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Star Star Star Star Star

What a warm and lovely welcome for this Yorkshire author. Thank you. Birnam Book Festival, author

Rose George   |   Birnam Book Festival 2018

  • Entrance

  • Kinnaird

  • Cafe

  • Beatrix Potter

  • Shop

  • Gallery

  • Studio