Ever since I was a child, I've loved a visit to a museum. My affinity probably stems from primary school trips to the sprawling Royal Museum in Edinburgh, where you could have endless fun pushing buttons to activate the machinery housed within glass cases in the engineering gallery. Museums have been the highlight of many a trip to a new city and sometimes the main reason for going in the first place. As I write, I'm planning a journey to Birmingham to see the major Black Sabbath music exhibition.
However, smaller collections can be just as informative. A great example is the Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery, housed in the same complex as the library and adjacent to the railway station. The galleries are packed with exhibits and you learn an incredible amount about the history of the town and surrounding area. The artwork hangs upstairs. Paintings aren't my passion - I normally seek out the highlights whenever I find myself in a famous gallery. I do attend the changing exhibitions in Kirkcaldy as they often feature photography or sculpture displays. A lovely building with a small café and of course the town library. Admission free.
I must confess I miss the old high wooden bookshelves which have been replaced by modern units. They surely carry less stock. Another interesting place to visit is Methil Heritage Centre, further along the coast. Formerly a crown post office, the permanent display focuses on the local Levenmouth area and the back room contains temporary exhibitions. I happened to catch the story of the nearby Cameronbridge Distillery. The origins stretch back to 1824 and the plant is now owned by global drinks giant Diageo. Cameronbridge produces grain whisky on a massive scale and is the biggest in Europe in terms of volume. As expected, there were examples of antique bottles and other paraphernalia but what I found most interesting was the literature provided which explained a great deal about the whisky-making process as well as the fortunes of Cameronbridge over the past couple of centuries. A lovely little afternoon out.
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