Blairs Museum

Home
United Kingdom
Aberdeen
Blairs Museum

Blairs Museum offers a unique insight into Scotland's history and heritage with spectacular collections spanning more than 500 years.

Highlights include artifacts relating to Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie and the history of the Catholic faith

27/05/2026

✝What's in our collection Wednesday! Today we are re-highlighting a miniature portrait of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart.

👑James Francis Edward Stuart was the father of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Henry Benedict. This oval miniature shows the Prince as a chevalier and dressed in armour. On the reverse it is inscribed, ‘JR3’: a reference to his status amongst his supporters as King James III (of Britain). Miniatures like this were worn concealed under clothes by both men and women. They were often secretly imported into Britain from Europe.

20/05/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are re-highlighting this painting by John Aubrey (1909–1985) titled Bishops at Pluscarden.

🖌This painting commemorates the Ordination of Bishop Matheson at Pluscarden Abbey, near Elgin. Bishop Matheson's train is held by pupils from the school at Fort Augustus. The two boys are wearing the Lovat dress tartan in honour of the patron of the Roman Catholic school. Matheson is following members of the Chapter of Canons of Aberdeen into the chancel of Pluscarden Abbey, then unroofed, where already one can see a line of white robed monks processing to the altar.

13/05/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are highlighting this painting titled the Transfiguration in our collection.

😇This painting is a copy and the original is by Raphael. The original painting (1517–1520) is in the Vatican Picture Gallery in Rome. Two stories are told in this painting: above, Christ rises between Moses and Elijah; below, a boy possessed by evil spirits is taken to the disciples to be cured.

06/05/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are re-highlighting the St Anne and St Joachim Chasuble.

😇The embroidery on the vestment is believed to be from the 16th century while the main fabric of the chasuble is modern. This practice of salvaging older embroidery onto modern vestments is common. The embroidery depicts scenes from the lives of St Anne and St Joachim, the parents of Mary.

29/04/2026

✝What's in our collection Wednesday! Today we are highlighting this chalice in our collection!

🍷The original cup was believed to be owned by Alexander Gordon of Auchintoul (1669-1751). The underside bears the inscription 'Alexr Gordon of Auchintoul 1682.' while the cup appears to have been replaced at some point. This cup was designed to unscrew from the base so that it could be hidden away. The celebration of Mass involving the use of this cup could have led to serious retribution for the celebrants.

22/04/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are re-highlighting this portrait in our collection.

🖌We don't know much about the gentleman in this portrait. However, we believe the portrait is from the late 18th century or early 19th century. Do you have any ideas as to who this gentleman might be?

15/04/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are highlighting this portrait of Mary Queen of Scots (1542 - 1587) in our collection.

👑This portrait of MQS was painted on a wooden panel. Oil painting on wooden panels was common practice prior to the 16th century when canvas became popular. Paintings on wood are especially susceptible to damage due to changes in humidity which can cause the wood to warp and crack and the paint to chip.

08/04/2026

✝Happy Wednesday! Today we are re-highlighting this s***f box in our collection.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿This silver s***f box was given by Bonnie Prince Charlie to Angus Macdonald of Borrodale. The prince spent his first night in Scotland there, on 25 July, 1745. His final night, 26 September 1746, was also spent at Borrodale. Both sides of the box are engraved: ‘testimonium grati animi’ on one side, and: ’Presented by Prince Charles Edward Stewart to Angus Macdonald at Borrodale, whose roof afforded him shelter on two memorable occassions the first and the last nights which he spent in Scotland 1746’.

05/04/2026

✨Happy Easter from the Blairs Museum! ✨

01/04/2026

✝What's in our collection Wednesday. This week we are re-sharing a painting of the crucifixion as Good Friday is this week.

✝An inventory dating from 1994 suggests that this crucifixion scene was originally in Braemar Parish Church and that the panel is inscribed with the date 1642.

Address

Riverside Of Blairs, South Deeside Road, Blairs
Aberdeen
AB125YQ

Telephone

01224 863767

Website

http://www.blairsmuseum.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Blairs Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Blairs Museum:

Shortcuts

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Aberdeen?