West Kilbride Museum

About the museum

West Kilbride Museum was founded in 1988 by a group of local volunteers and opened on 23 May 1988. It started in the upper rooms of the Public Hall on Arthur Street, now called West Kilbride Village Hall, and it is still there today. Its aim is to show how people in the parish lived over the past 400 years.

The collection was built up mostly from gifts by local people, with a few items on loan. Permanent displays cover farming and weaving, old toys and dolls, and Ayrshire embroidery. There are room settings of a Victorian sitting room and kitchen, and small scenes that change from time to time around topical themes.

Other holdings include a large photograph collection, a Book of Remembrance, medals and objects from the two World Wars, and sections on nature and the Commonwealth. The museum is run entirely by volunteers from the village as a Scottish charity and receives no outside help with running costs, so it depends on donations and fundraising events. It is an accredited member of Museums Galleries Scotland.

Highlights

• Ayrshire embroidery
• Victorian sitting room and kitchen settings
• Farming and weaving displays
• Old toys and dolls
• Book of Remembrance and war medals

Permanent exhibition

• Village life over 400 years – Permanent displays on farming and weaving, old toys and dolls, Ayrshire embroidery, and Victorian room settings, with wartime medals and memorabilia.

Founded

1988

Operated by

West Kilbride Museum (Scottish charity SC022637)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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 is on the first floor of the village hall. A stairlift gives access for visitors with disabilities. The museum does not publish details on step-free entrance or accessible toilets, so visitors may wish to phone ahead.

Kids & families

School parties are welcome by prior arrangement.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the village hall on Arthur Street in the centre of West Kilbride.

Amenities & dining

There is no café at the museum. Refreshments are available at cafés in the village.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit