Unicorn exhibition shortlisted for Museums Change Lives Awards 2024

We’re delighted to announce that we have been nominated for the Museums Associations’ Museums Change Lives Awards in the Championing Social Justice Category. These awards recognise and celebrate outstanding work by UK museums delivering social impact. The awards promote best practice from museums and individuals that support communities and engage with contemporary issues.

When the new Perth Museum opened in March 2024, the team chose to centre local LGBTQ+ stories and voices for their first exhibition, Unicorn. As part of an exploration of Scotland’s national animal, the exhibition focused on the unicorn as an LGBTQ+ symbol. Working in collaboration with community groups, the exhibition included 5 newly commissioned artworks by queer Scottish artists, local objects and oral histories, a queer-friendly family space, and a rich engagement programme.

Unicorn has not only increased representation of LGBTQ+ communities in the museum’s displays but also in its collections by accessioning objects, artworks and oral histories generated through the exhibition. Moreover, the museum has embedded new staff training to ensure it continues to be a welcoming and empowering place for queer workers and visitors alike.

Unicorn has been a critical and commercial success and has created a safe, relevant, and celebratory space for LGBTQ+ people in Perthshire. The exhibition attracted 10,000 visitors generated £50,000 in ticket sales in the first four months and enjoyed a five-star review from the Guardian. Through Unicorn, Perth Museum has challenged the assumption that discursive, sector-leading work can only happen in big museums and cities. The winners will be announced on 12 November at the Museums Association Conference.