Creetown Heritage Museum

About the museum

Creetown Heritage Museum opened in 1997 and is run by local volunteers. It is housed in the Exhibition Centre on St John Street and presents about 150 years of the history of Creetown, a village in Wigtownshire, through several hundred photographs and objects on permanent display, audio and visual presentations and activities for children.

Creetown was once called the Ferrytown of the Cree because ferries crossed the river there. In the mid-nineteenth century granite quarries around the village supplied stone for projects such as the Liverpool docks, and for a time the village was one of the wealthiest in Scotland. The museum tells the story of the granite industry and of the Japanese sculptor Hideo Furuta, who worked in a former quarry from 1990 until his death in 2007; one of his sculptures is built into the outside wall of the museum, and a film about his work can be shown.

Other displays include a War Room showing what villagers did during the two world wars, the story of a church in a railway carriage, the work of a local wood carver and a guessing table. Creetown was also one of the locations for the 1972 film The Wicker Man, and a 4m high model overlooks a display about the filming.

Highlights

• Creetown granite story and the work of sculptor Hideo Furuta
• War Room on village life in two world wars
• Church in a railway carriage
• Display on the filming of The Wicker Man with a 4m model
• Activities for children for different age groups

Permanent exhibition

• Creetown history displays – About 150 years of village history with photographs and objects, including the granite industry, a War Room and a display on the filming of The Wicker Man.

Founded

1997

Operated by

Local volunteers (committee-run)

Admission & discounts

Adults £3, concessions £2, children £1.50. Payment is by cash only. Tickets can be used for repeat visits in the seven days after purchase.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum states that it has disabled access and a toilet but gives no further details.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

The museum offers various activities for children designed for different age groups.

Getting there & parking

Creetown is directly off the A75 Dumfries to Stranraer road, about five miles east of Newton Stewart. The village is approached on a minor road that runs through the centre as St John Street, and the museum is at the south end of the street.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.