New exhibition brings the history of city streets to life

Monday 27th April 2026

Today Perth Museum unveiled their next exhibition, Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets, which explores the fascinating past and present of the vennels, closes, alleys and lanes that have crisscrossed the city for centuries. The exhibition opens on Friday 29 May 2026.

The exhibition features rarely-seen archaeological discoveries from Perth city centre, revealing what daily life was like in the vennels for the traders, craftspeople, and food producers of medieval Perth. It traces the city’s distinctive street plan woven through the urban landscape, showing how these unique walkways formed the heart of the medieval town and remain a distinctive part of Perth today.

Known as a ‘Craftis Toun’ since medieval times, Perth has a rich tradition of skilled trades and craftsmanship. We are extremely pleased to share objects from our collections that tell the story of these crafts and industries and the streets in which they were practised. We hope visitors will enjoy learning more about the history of the Fair City before discovering the artworks that celebrate the Vennels.

Mark Hall, Collections Officer at Culture Perth & Kinross

Alongside historic treasures, visitors will also encounter Perth’s evolving streetscapes today, as the exhibition reveals the stories and artists behind five newly-commissioned public artworks by Perth and Kinross Council that are inspired by the rich heritage of the city’s vennels.

Commissioned by Perth & Kinross Council’s Place Development team in collaboration with the UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Art designation, six artists have responded to the craft heritage of the historic vennels to create artworks situated in the unique setting of a bustling city centre.

As a UNESCO Creative City, Perth has committed to championing culture and creativity as a driver for sustainable development. Craft is written into the geography of Perth’s city centre, with the vennels being known for the crafts and trades they once held. It’s exciting to see that creativity is still thriving in the vennels today. We have a wealth of brilliant cultural venues in Perth, and as a walkable city, the spaces between places can be just as important as your final destination, so making sure our communities and visitors can access and enjoy culture in the in-betweens is so exciting, and I think this exhibition is an opportunity to showcase the uniqueness of our cultural history and creative journey.

Poppy Jarratt, UNESCO Programme Officer for Perth UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Arts.

The artists, Heather Cumming, Ellietype & Lindsay Grime, Neo Hanna, Kate Robinson and Eleanor Wheeler, have created distinctive artworks, some of which are on display in the city already, with others to be installed over the course of the next few months.

The commissioning of new artworks for Perth’s vennels forms a vibrant and integral part of this summer’s exhibition at Perth Museum, creating an engaging cultural journey across the city. By transforming these characterful historic routes, the project brings contemporary creativity into some of Perth’s most distinctive spaces. The museum exhibition and new commissions offer a celebration of Perth, encouraging residents and visitors alike to explore the city and experience its rich craft heritage in new ways.

Alan Farnington, Senior Economic Development Officer at Perth & Kinross Council

Perth Museum tells 10,000 years of Scottish and international history through a Perth and Kinross lens. It has welcomed more than 450,000 visitors since opening in 2024 and attracted many awards and nominations. The Museum was the only Scottish finalist for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025 and won the Scottish Property Awards Small Regeneration Project of the Year 2025, the Museums Association Museums Change Lives Championing Social Justice Award 2024, and the Scottish Design Awards Best Civic Brand Identity 2024.

Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets opens on Friday 29 May 2026 and runs until Sunday 6 September 2026. Admission is free, however donations are encouraged.

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