The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum

10/10/2026

We are excited to be hosting OUT: Scotland's Lgbtq+ Book Festival here at The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum next Sat 17th Oct!

Follow the link below to find out more and snap up a ticket!

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/outbookfest?fbclid=IwdGRjcAU26AJjbGNrBTbn_GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YBc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeh19iJmxt8LJ0A2xuhycm1pPPoIv3iA_aYEavCKL-th5A8wQ2B1cb94fYG7o_aem_Olt0pwQAusU02ogc2IN36g

📣 JUST ONE WEEK TO GO!

We are getting really excited about next Saturday at the Smith!

There are still some tickets available for some of our events including the free storytelling sessions for kids!

🍁 So pop on over and find out more at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/outbookfest

The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum The Book Nook Stirling Stirling Pride Stirling: Alive with Scotland

09/10/2026

Our pumpkin patch is BACK!

We have lots of amazing autumnal activities for children and families to enjoy during the October Holidays. Find out more here: https://www.smithmuseum.scot/events/october-holidays-free-family-fun-2/

08/10/2026

A big THANK YOU to everyone who came along to the opening of The Tapestry of Black Britons - African Romans in Britain. It was amazing to celebrate with the Tapestry's founder, Paula Ogun Hector, and the artist who designed the piece, Alvin Kofi.

African Romans in Britain is now open for everyone to enjoy, and will run until the 20th December. Free entry - donations welcomed.
We are open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm.

Tapestry of Black Britons CiC Dash + Miller

02/10/2026

We're kicking off with the reappearance of a familiar face in our Gallery 2 space!

A Cuban Cigarette, painted by Thomas Stuart Smith in 1869, is an intimate portrait of a black man smoking. Stuart Smith, who was a supporter of the abolition of slavery, made three paintings with black male subjects which survive today in The Smith's collection.

With The Pipe of Freedom going on loan to Perth Museum for their new temporary exhibition, we thought it was the perfect time to bring A Cuban Cigarette back out on display. See it now in Gallery 2!

We are open Wed - Sun, 10am-5pm. Free entry.

01/10/2026

🍂 Cozy up this autumn with mindful stitching! 🍂

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome these gorgeous new embroidery kits to The Stirling Smith shop! ✨

Designed by Edinburgh’s own Paraffle Embroidery, these beautiful kits feature detailed designs like the Highland Coo, Scottish Thistle, Red Squirrel, and Scottie Dog. Made with 100% organic fabric, they contain everything you need to create your own textile masterpiece. 🧵🪡

As the darker autumn nights draw in, there is nothing better than curling up inside with a relaxing craft project. Be inspired by our current Season of Tapestry exhibitions and head over to our museum shop to pick up your favorite kit—along with matching enamel needle minders!
Which design will you choose first? 🐿️🐂🦉

📍 Visit us at The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Dumbarton Road, Stirling. FREE ENTRY.

🕒 Shop Open: Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm.

25/09/2026

COMING SOON...

The Smith is excited to announce the arrival of our new exhibition, which will be launching 7th October.

African Romans in Britain is a woven tapestry from the Tapestry of Black Britons, founded by Paula Ogun Hector and designed by artist Alvin Kofi.

On display for the first time in Scotland, the tapestry explores Black British stories at the frontier of the Roman Empire, and will be partnered with Roman artefacts from the Stirlingshire area. Craft, heritage, and hidden histories combine for the main event of our Season of Tapestry.

This tapestry was funded by the National Lottery Projects Grants from Arts Council England and translated to the loom by Dash + Miller. Part of Black History Month Scotland.

16/09/2026

🎨 A Very Special Week in Gallery 3! ⚽

We've had a temporary artist in residence this week — none other than Kirstin Mackinnon, semi-finalist of the , 2024 — painting the world's oldest football!

Some of you may have spotted Kirstin at work in Gallery 3 today — what a treat to see this extraordinary piece of history brought to life on canvas. 🖌️

And what a year this football has had! It recently travelled to Miami for the World Cup clash between Scotland and Brazil this summer, going on display at the Coral Gables Museum before attending the match itself. 🌍⚽

There's more to come... Kirstin has an upcoming exhibition with us in the New Year, so watch this space! 👀

Did you catch a glimpse of her in action? Let us know in the comments! 👇

🔗 Discover more of Kirstin's work: www.kirstinmackinnon.art

11/09/2026

Now in Gallery 3, our Autumn Activities are back! Celebrate the changing of the seasons by exploring with our garden trail, or cosy up with one of our autumnal reads 📖🍂

09/09/2026

Sharing setup photos from an early years Secret Garden session in our beautiful museum garden today! 🍂

Our nursery visitors made a giant leafy hedgehog, went on an autumn trail, and loved storytime. (No kids in shots, just the calm before the fun.) 🦔✨

We're growing our early years offer and have been developing a magical museums session inside for nursery groups too!

02/09/2026

🎨🧵 Now Open | Gathering Threads: The Art of Andrew Crummy 🧵🎨

Discover the work of one of Scotland's most celebrated tapestry artists at The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum.

Gathering Threads showcases the remarkable career of Dr Andrew Crummy MBE, whose designs for projects including The Prestonpans Tapestry, The Great Tapestry of Scotland, The Diaspora Tapestry, and The Cancer Tapestry have brought together thousands of community stitchers around the world.

This special exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the artist behind the stitches, featuring paintings, prints, sculptures, and tapestry works that reveal the inspiration, history, and creative vision running through Andrew's work.

Part of The Smith's Season of Tapestry, the exhibition highlights the power of art to connect communities, tell stories, and bring history to life.

📍 Gallery 1 & 2, The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum
📅 2 September - 1 November 2026
🕙 Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
🎟️ Free admission

Come and discover the stories, people, and traditions woven through the work of an artist whose vision has inspired communities across Scotland and beyond.