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Sat 4 Jun - Sun 5 Jun
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee - Dunkeld Celebrations
10:00 - 16:00
Doors Open 10:00
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What's on by genre
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Sat 4 Jun - Sun 5 Jun
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee - Dunkeld Celebrations
10:00 - 16:00
Doors Open 10:00
There are more activities available at the Beatrix Potter Exhibition, as Covid restrictions start to lift.
Our cosy 'TV Corner' is open with building blocks and wooden trains to play with. You can wash the clothes and hang them on the line, just as Mrs Tiggy-Winkle does. Or maybe you’d like to visit the Village shop – it is now open again and fully stocked with goodies for sale. You could also try your luck at fishing – and beating – Jeremy Fisher’s score. And the 'School Section' offers children of all ages a chance to get creative and draw on the traditional blackboard!
We have some wonderful 'Activity Boxes' available to keep the wee ones entertained. They are stocked full of Peter Rabbit themed colouring-in and activity sheets, along with pencils & crayons - maybe your little artist will be inspired by the beautiful illustrations of Beatrix Potter and create a masterpiece to take home. The boxes are available to borrow in the Gift Shop.
For your peace of mind, we have set up 'Sanitising Stations' within the exhibition. We kindly ask, unless exempt, that everyone respects the Scottish guidelines on wearing face coverings, at least for a little while longer. Surfaces are disinfected regularly, and activity boxes are cleaned between uses to keep everyone as safe as possible. As always, should the COVID restrictions change, we will update our website promptly.
You can, of course, visit Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Mr Jeremy Fisher outside in the Beatrix Potter Garden as much as you like and without restriction!
We hope to see you soon!
WIll you help Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle with her chores, the way Lucie did when she first met the lovely laundry woman?
Weigh vegetables in imperial weights, use old money to buy what you need to make dinner for your family.
Write in chalk on a slate at a Victorian school desk.
Discover Beatrix Potters stories in our libarary of books and DVDs that you can watch in our soft play area.
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The beautifully carved stone column which use to stand on the lawn at Dalguise House, summer home for Beatrix Potter during her childhood, is elaborately carved, dating from the 18th century. The Corinthian details, spiral fluting and unicorn carving became the subject of drawings by Beatrix during her summer holidays.
Following its sad demise over time, the badly deteriorated column was dismantled in the 1980s. During the conservation efforts, each stone received attention, with the removal of previous repair efforts and consolidation of vulnerable sections, using threaded stainless-steel rods and lime fills, where needed.
The pillar now lives inside Birnam Arts, where it is protected, and supported by a stainless-steel stand, designed by Henry Boyd of Edinburgh.
Importantly, the illustrations young Beatrix completed in her holiday garden were invaluable for identifying the pieces during the different restoration projects.
We remain very grateful to the Beatrix Potter Society and PGL Adventures Limited for their support for the project.
Rabbit Family, Beatrix Potter Gardens Birnam
The landscaped home of Peter Rabbit, playing with his friends – known as the Beatrix Potter Garden – sits beside Birnam Arts, at the centre of Birnam. Mrs Tiggy-WInkle, Mr Tod the Fox, and Mr Jeremy Fisher are also nearby.
Young Beatrix spent a lot of her childhood in a garden enjoying the company of her many pets, including her rabbits, Benjamin and Peter. During her summers in Perthshire, her world expanded with the new area to explore – those eleven seasons were highly influential on her later life and career.
Do you know who Peter Rabbit is playing with?
Where is Mr Fox going?
Can you help Mrs Tiggy-Winkle?
What is Mr Jeremy Fisher doing?
Born into a wealthy London family in 1866, Beatrix had a privileged yet lonely upbringing. As a child she became interested in the natural world and spent much of her time drawing and sketching, which was enhanced during her childhood summers in Perthshire.
The family's long summer breaks in nearby Dalguise – usually from May to the end of the salmon season in October – started when Beatrix was quite young, and continued for a decade, into her mid-teens. It was during this time that she was free to explore the countryside around her, indulging her interest in the natural world. It was this time that was to be one of the most enduring influences on Beatrix's development, both as an artist and scientist.
Even when the family summered in the Lake District, Beatrix visited Dalguise in 1884 for time with friends.
It was in 1892, while the family was at Heath Park in Birnam, that Beatrix first met Charles Macintosh, postman for the Dalguise postal district.
Gradually Beatrix's interest had turned to mycology, the study of fungi, and it was this shared interest which brought Beatrix Potter and Charles Macintosh together for the first time.
They had both been aware of the other’s interest in fungi, each approaching the topic from a different perspective: Charles, in his 50s, more scientific, and Beatrix, in her mid 20s, more aesthetic. It was this meeting which led to a long correspondence which gave great pleasure to both.
Charles’ occupation was an ideal one for a budding natural historian, his daily walks delivering mail allowing him to study the local flora and fauna.
It was also during that 1892 time in Scotland that Beatrix wrote a 'picture letter' to the young son of her former governess. The letter became the basis for her first book 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. Similarly, a later book 'The Tale of Jeremy Fisher' also started life as a picture letter with characters clearly based on her study and exploration on the banks of the River Tay. 'The tale of Mrs Tiggy Winkle' was published in 1905 and is almost certainly based on the Potters' old washer woman at Dalguise, Kitty MacDonald.
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Beautiful space, lovely people, Beatrix Potter Gardens and a wonderful exhibition "Earthly Walks" by Grigorios Karastamatis until the 18th of July (2021)!
Stella Valvi | Google Reviews
Such lovely memories of coming to Birnam as a wee one, visiting the garden and the exhibition then exploring the woods that inspired Beatrix Potter.
Graham Webster | Crowdfunder #savebirnamarts 2020
There are two dedicated accessible car park spaces directly in front of the venue. There is a gentle slope from street level up to the accessible entrance.
Using the touch pad, enter via the large glass doors to the right of the main entrance.
There are two Accessible Toilets within the venue, one on each level.
There are ramps situated throughout the building to enable easy access from the Café to the Box Office and Shop, as well as on the first floor to go from the Gallery to the Meeting Room.
There is a lift between the ground level and first floor.
View our floorplan for more
detailed information.
There is bound to be a Peter Rabbit or Beatrix Potter treat just right for that special person in our Gift Shop.
Box Office
Mon - Fri | 10:00 - 17:00
Cafe
Daily | 10:00 - 16:00
Welcome to Birnam Arts, a boutique multi-purpose arts, conferencing and entertainment venue.
Pop in to the Foyer Cafe for breakfast, grab a delicious coffee with a selection of our homemade baking or enjoy a light lunch whilst browsing on the free WiFi. Wander upstairs to view the latest of our monthly art exhibitions before visiting the world of Beatrix Potter, or the Gift Shop to purchase a special gift for your loved ones or yourself!
Lovely wee cafe with amazing service. Been here 3 times now and always notice how friendly and upbeat the staff are. The coffee and cake is top notch also. Will definitely be back the next time I head to Dunkeld!
Marcus Sheridan | Google Reviews
Entrance
Kinnaird
Cafe
Beatrix Potter
Shop
Gallery
Studio
