© The Black Watch Castle and Museum
The Black Watch Regimental Trust is a charitable company registered in Scotland | Charity No: SC005848
This year we are celebrating 10 years since the major redevelopment of the Castle and Museum. To mark this decade, we invite you to join in with our exciting programme of events – 10 events over days to mark our 10 years. Thank you for all your support.
To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the 2013 Castle and Museum redevelopment this special exhibition invites you to explore the history of Balhousie Castle over the centuries. From its 12th-century origin as a family home to becoming The Black Watch Regimental Headquarters during the 1960s this iconic Perth landmark has created a lasting legacy that continues to intrigue visitors today.
Free to view | Donations to The Black Watch Regimental Trust Charity are welcomed.
Celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Balhousie Castle redevelopment with a 10-course tasting menu created by our talented Head Chef Michael Wells. This unique menu will showcase local produce sourced from within a 10-mile radius of Perthshire. There will also be an opportunity throughout the evening to view our special exhibition – Balhousie Castle through the Years.
Calling all young explorers! Meet us at the castle to have a fun-tastic day discovering animals that The Black Watch may have met during their travels around the globe. Have an exciting encounter with real-life animals in our Zoolab sessions, visit the WW1 trench to learn about animals during the war, and enjoy storytelling and sing-alongs in the Museum gallery. Don’t forget to explore the museum with our amazing animal trail and get hands-on making your own animal craft to take home.
Join our curator as she takes you through the history of Balhousie Castle and its’ surroundings from its origins in medieval Perth through to its role now as the home of The Black Watch. With stories of knights and nuns, murder, and mystery, learn the fascinating history of one of the most significant buildings in Perth.
Meet our curator and step back in time to discover 10 stories, myths, and legends behind Balhousie Castle and objects within the collection. Tickets include all day access to the Museum.
Join local musician Michael Ellacott in the Castle Bistro to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea followed by a sing along to well-known war time songs.
Professor Niall Barr will tell us of Operation Husky – the invasion of Sicily – which was the centrepiece of the Western Allies effort in 1943. The 1st, 5th, and 7th Battalions of The Black Watch took a full part in the invasion and capture of Sicily, experiencing heavy fighting at Gerbini and Sferro during the campaign. Operation Husky also represented the final Mediterranean destination for The Black Watch on their long march from Alamein to Tunis and onto Sicily. The talk will place The Black Watch battalions within the wider context of the 51st Highland Division while discussing some of the key personalities and events of the campaign.
Enjoy a post-lecture supper in the Castle Bistro | £2 courses £25 | 3 courses £30
Get hands-on with history and discover 10 interesting objects that have been donated to the Museum collection over the past 10 years.
The annual reunion of The Black Watch Association will be held at Balhousie following a short march to the castle from Atholl Terrace in Perth. All members of the Association are welcome to attend and meet up with those we served with and commemorate anniversaries whether those be 1953, Hong Kong, West Belfast, 1993 or 2003.
Meet the cheeky regimental Shetland pony mascot Cpl Cruachan IV and his pony pal Nightcap and see the talented highland dancing troupe from Gordons School of Dance perform throughout the day. Get crafty with our drop-in family art sessions where you can make something special to take home, explore the Museum galleries with our Lego soldier trail and discover the dressing-up zones where can try on soldier’s uniforms from the past. Why not take a break from making lunch and enjoy the tasty menu from our Castle BBQ?
Tickets include all day access to the Museum.
Enjoy a delicious brunch in the Castle Bistro followed by a curator-led highlight tour of the galleries. You will then be invited behind the scenes to explore the museum store and discover the work undertaken by the team to care for the collection and archive.
Ticket includes brunch, all day museum admission, highlight tour and behind-the-scenes access
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© The Black Watch Castle and Museum
The Black Watch Regimental Trust is a charitable company registered in Scotland | Charity No: SC005848