The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum is full of wonders for all to enjoy. Admission free, we invite you to discover extraordinary stories suitable for all ages.
Founded in 1874 with the bequest and collection of the artist Thomas Stuart Smith (1813–1869), the museum is proud to house more than 40,000 objects celebrating our rich history and culture.
Come along and start your journey in history with us.
Enija Zelmene
Our permanent exhibition, The Stirling Story, is jam-packed with exciting historical surprises – did the world’s oldest football really belong to the Mary Queen of Scots?
Temporary exhibitions, our café and beautiful gardens contribute to make the Smith a lively and welcoming visitor attraction.
Come along and start your journey in history with us.
The Man Who Could Paint Anything – The Legacy of Thomas Stuart Smith
This exhibition showcases some of The Smith’s remarkable art collection. Thomas Stuart Smith was an accomplished artist and an avid collector. Known as the ‘man who could paint anything’. He could turn his hand from landscape to portraiture, from still life to seascapes.
The artwork on display is part of Smith’s generous legacy which the museum has continued through collecting some of the finest contemporary art. You can see works by prominent artists including Anne Redpath (1895-1965), William Gillies (1898-1973) and William MacTaggart (1903-1981), all renowned for their expressive handling of colour, form, and brushstrokes.
Following in Smith’s footsteps, other benefactors have gifted work to the Gallery. One of the most impressive paintings in the collection, and certainly the largest on display, is Les moulières à Villerville by Maurice Poirson (1846-1882) which was bequeathed by local seed merchant John Gray.
The Stirling Story
The best way to explore our region’s history is to visit The Stirling Story exhibition. The exhibition follows a path through the ages, examining major events and people who made Stirling and the surrounding area such an important place in the history of Scotland. Start your journey with pre-historic whale bones, bronze-age cists and Roman pottery. Find the world’s oldest football, discover how Scottish democracy was founded in the streets of Stirling and learn more about William Wallace, King Robert the Bruce, and the Wars of Independence. This exhibition is full of unbelievable stories waiting to be discovered by you!
Ailie’s Garden
Established by the Friends of the Smith in 2002, Ailie’s Garden is still one of Stirling’s hidden treasures. The garden is named after Ailie Maclaurin (1913 – 2000) of the Stirling Homesteads, a keen gardener, tourism entrepreneur, nurse, and midwife.
Our garden is a haven of peace and tranquillity, as well as an educational and demonstration area. The garden has been developed to encourage wildlife, showing the different Scottish habitats (woodland, woodland edge, upland, wetland, and hedgerow) and incorporating a small kitchen garden compost demo area. There is a Willow Garden; a Xylophone made from a 40-year-old branch of a coppiced sycamore from a 300-year-old tree; a mosaic “pond” and a mosaic path; the Balfron Bench and the Wolf Stone. All of which have interesting connections with the Stirling area.
The Smith Cafe
A family-friendly café serving freshly made sandwiches, snacks, salads, and cakes as well as a selection of hot and cold drinks. Ideal for grabbing a quick bite or having a coffee break while you plan the next step of your museum visit.
