The Making of the Museum of Scotland

by McKean, Charles

• ISBN13: 9781901663112
• ISBN10: 1901663116
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Univ of Toronto Pr

Summary

The first museum for the 21st century is Edinburgh's Museum of Scotland, a national treasure that took six years to design and build. A synthesis of the art object museum or the black box museum, the building could not merely be a national icon."A museum for a nation, " the assignment for the architectural team of Benson + Forsyth was to merge the Royal Scottish Museum and the National Museum of Antiquaries. Its construction and design was predicated on the power of the objects to stimulate the visitor, so that displays would not rob the objects contained there of their importance or personality. The result is a stunning, award-winning, international building. This is the full story -- from site decisions, to the grand scheme, to the details of building and construction, to stone samples, to concrete and noise issues -- how all vied for time and space.(National Museums of Scotland)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
Introduction	ix
Grown from the rock	1	(20)
A fresh start	21	(18)
Unfinished business-or a case for identity	39	(18)
Judgement	57	(14)
The scheme that won	71	(18)
Gearing up	89	(12)
Exhibition evolution	101	(18)
Delivery	119	(14)
The Museum of Scotland realised	133	(14)
Envoi	147	(4)
Sources	151	(2)
Dramatis personae	153	(4)
Index	157