Pier Arts Centre, Art museum in Stromness, Scotland
The Pier Arts Centre is an art museum in Stromness displaying British modern and contemporary works across two connected buildings along the historic waterfront. The spaces stretch along the water, with the old harbor architecture becoming part of how the exhibitions are experienced.
Margaret Gardiner established this center in 1979, donating her collection of British fine art to create a cultural space for Orkney. The buildings themselves date to the 18th century and once served as storage for the fishing trade.
The collection here includes works by Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, and contemporary pieces by Sean Scully and Olafur Eliasson. Visitors can see how these different artistic voices speak to one another within the historic harbor buildings.
The museum sits right at the harbor of Stromness and is easy to find when walking along the waterfront. Good walking shoes are helpful since the area slopes toward the water and the ground can be uneven.
The center works with the Tate network and regularly loans pieces to major international exhibitions around the world. Despite its remote location on a Scottish island group, it plays a surprisingly important role in the global art world.
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