Smith Art Gallery & Museum

Almost four years in Stirling and I’ve only just visited this place. Thoroughly ashamed! Whilst I’d heard a little about the museum, it seemed a little out of the way from the city centre. (It’s not, it’s a five minute walk from the Albert Halls and ten from the castle!) Today was a fleeting but entertaining day at the museum, with a quick caffeine stop at the café and a whisk around the museum.
The building itself is large and historical. It’s certainly nice to look at and has a traditional museum feel without seeming out-​dated. We were headed straight for the café to start when we were welcomed by a friendly cat. — Yes, a cat! Not just any cat but Oswald, the museum’s resident cat! Yes, he actually lives there! He would often pop in to the museum when he lived nearby and when his owner’s moved, Oswald got so sad that they brought him back to where he truly belonged. — The museum! Talk about a welcome! Purr!
The café makes for a pleasant stop for tea and coffee and service was fast and friendly. I can’t comment on the food since I didn’t eat but the cakes looked lovely and they even had a few gluten free options available. There’s also some small replica war-​time recipe/​ration/​sewing guide books for sale by the café which are cheap and kitsch. They certainly caught my eye!
Whilst we didn’t have a great deal of time to wander round the museum itself on this occasion, everything we laid eyes on was interesting. I particularly liked the old Stirling cinema chairs and posters. I’d definitely like to spend some more time in here and soak it all in a bit more. I especially love the fact that they feature local artists!
Staff were so welcoming and knowledgeable, telling us the history of the museum and the story of Oswald the cat. With free admission, it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in Stirling. If only to meet Oswald!

Although the Museum is quite messy (there’s lot of pieces everywhere), you end up undestanding the whole history Stirling, its most important people and the legends.
The best thing of the Museum is its staff. They are very helpful and friendly. Even one of them offered himself to guide us through the exhibition.
I will return to the Museum to visit it again, even though it doesn’t have Free Wifi…

Terrific place to learn about Stirling and Scottish history whether you live there or not! Staff are ultra friendly and knowledgeable, definitely put this on your to-​do list.

The Smith Art Gallery is not what you would expect. It isn’t a posh Art Gallery, it has exhibitions that are aimed at people from all walks of life. They have had exhibitions about Stirling history, Scottish history, Dr Who and many others. An exhibition of Da Vinci paintings has just finished and now they have gone on to exhibit work by 4 local artists. There is a permanent exhibit on Stirling history that is fantastic and even locals can learn about where they live. One of the oldest footballs in the world is on display in the Smith — having been found in Stirling Castle. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and are also very helpful. There is also a café area inside the Smith which is a nice place to take a break if you are visiting the sights of Stirling. The Smith is one of the many stops on the Open Top bus tour. A must see at the Smith is the garden out back. It is a fantastic garden area that has many things to keep both adults and children happy. There is a willow tunnel, a xylophone (great fun), a storytelling circle, a chess/​draughts board and a picnic area. It is a fantastic place to sit on a lovely sunny summers day, worth visiting the Smith just to see the garden.