Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum
The Smith Institute first opened to the public on 11 August 1874. It was an occasion for great celebration in Stirling, and the shops in the town closed at 12 noon to allow people to attend the opening. Nevertheless, there were some mixed feelings, for Thomas Stuart Smith, had died in 1869 and the location of the building was felt by many people to be too far away from the old town.
Elspeth King
After doing a post-graduate course at Leicester University, King arrived in Glasgow to take up the post as head curator in the People's Palace where exhibitions such as "Scotland Sober and Free", the 150th anniversary of the Temperance Movement, and Michael Donnelly's 1981 exhibition of stained glass, gained record attendances. Her pet cat Smudge became very well known in Glasgow during her time there. This was followed by the Glasgow Herald's bicentenary exhibition, which won the 1983 Museum of the year award. She was controversially passed over in 1990 for the civic post of keeper of social history in favour of Mr Mark O'Neill from Springburn Museum. She then left Glasgow to become a director the Dunfermline Heritage Trust where she stayed until 1994 before becoming the first Director of the Smith Art Gallery Museum in Stirling where she has remained.